The concessionaires of beach services in Puerto Pollensa are facing numerous fines from the Demarcation of the Balearic Coasts.
At the beginning of the season the City Council, which usually asks Costas to manage the services and put them out to tender, told the companies that the permits would remain in their hands, "to speed up procedures and avoid uncertainty.”
Over the last few weeks, those who are providing catering and leisure services have received notifications of fines amounting to thousands of euros for allegedly starting their activity without waiting for confirmation of their applications.
Sanctions
Annika Möller from Sail Surf Pollença, submitted an application to the Central Government in May along with the mandatory Technical Report. In July, Costas demanded a new report endorsed by an engineer, which cost 800 euros and was accompanied by a favourable Technical Report from the City Council.
After weeks of silence she was surprised to receive a 20,000 euro fine, and points out that although the company was working at 80% during July it is now at 10% of capacity.
Two weeks ago, Miquel Vives, owner of the La Roca beach bar received a fine of 3,000 euros and instructed to cease all activity immediately. Vives says the fine was issued after weeks of calls and emails to Costas and getting any response. He says that after talking to a lawyer the fine was not paid because that would imply acceptance of an "unfair" sanction and the cessation of the business in a very complicated year.
Mayor Tomeu Cifre estimates that around 60 other businesses in the area are in the same situation because of months of delay in Costas activity during the coronavirus lockdown.
Business owners say they are surprised at the speed with which the fines have been issued and the lack of response to applications which they claim were presented in the correct time and form.
Mayor Cifre has urged the Administration to “show some sensitivity in such a difficult year, especially since no sanctions have been issued in the previous 3 years."