The owners of the El Bungalow beach restaurant in Ciudad Jardín, Palma have joined forces with long-time customers and the Coll d'en Rabassa residents association in organising a protest against the demolition which has been ordered by the Costas Authority.
This will be at the restaurant from 12 noon on Sunday, November 6. The owners, the Bonet family, have been operating the property as a restaurant since 1983, which was when the necessary activity licence was granted. Maleni Bonet says that it was originally her great-grandmother's home. The demonstration will have a theme of leaving history alone.
The Costas' order is on the grounds that the restaurant occupies public maritime domain and that a concession to operate will not be granted. A coastal occupation licence wasn't sought until a couple of years ago. Maleni Bonet explains that her mother thought that the property title was enough. "We have always had activity permits and in its day the Coasts Law did allow activity."
Another residents association, Ses Cases Noves, voiced its support some weeks ago, denouncing the Costas' order as "unfair, unjustified and electioneering". A Change.org petition against the demolition has meanwhile so far gathered 7,300 signatures.