Palma's restaurateurs are warning that workers will be laid off when they have to give up the terraces in parking spaces on September 30.
"Interior capacity is still limited to 50%, because of the Covid restrictions, so if the terraces are taken away, bars and restaurants won't need the staff employed to take care of them," says RBC Mallorca President, Eugenia Cusí.
Cusí is insisting on that the ERTE must be extended beyond September 30.
"If they remove the terraces and continue to impose restrictions inside, sales capacity and the need for staff will be limited," she explains. “Global annual turnover for 2021 is close to 50% of a normal year, which makes it impossible to keep the same number of staff."
She also pointed out that the increase in the cost of electricity means bar and restaurant bills are much higher than they were before.
Mallorca CAEB Restauración President, Alfonso Robledo, agrees that there will be layoffs when restaurateurs have to remove their terraces on the streets.
“Taking away the terraces while capacity is limited to 50% makes no sense. We will have to remove them when things get back to normal, but doing it now just doesn’t make any sense.”
From October 1, Palma Local Police will issue fines of 750-1,500 for terraces that occupy parking spaces, depending on the square metres occupied.