Business owners from different sectors that operate on Palma's Paseo Marítimo have demanded direct aid and solutions for the problems that the remodelling works are causing them.
Following a meeting at the headquarters of the Confederation of Business Associations of the Balearic Islands (CAEB) between the employers' associations of restaurants, hotels, commerce, transport, marinas, maritime activities and nightlife, spokesmen for these sectors have denounced the multiple damages caused by the execution of the works and have warned of the future closure of many businesses in the coming weeks and months if these problems persist.
To date, they estimate that around 30% of the businesses have suspended their activity and closed their doors, which they attribute not only to the works but to a series of conditioning factors that must also be considered in the context of the low season.
"There is concern because we don't know how the work is going to be in May or June," Alfonso Robledo, president of Restauración-CAEB said, denouncing that bars and restaurants are still being charged the terrace tax when they can't even set them up. The same goes for the rubbish tax, "which we are not generating because there is none. It's a disgrace. We know that these works are necessary but we have to help these entrepreneurs financially because otherwise they won't last two years".
An important part of the complaints lies in the way the works are being started, he explains, since "they told us that there would be four phases by zones, but they have started all at once: the whole of the Paseo Marítimo is fenced off. And now they're talking about putting up tarpaulins: that's a prison."