Businesses on Palma's Paseo Marítimo have had to contend with several years of difficulties caused by the pandemic and then by the redevelopment. They were of course hardly unique in having suffered because of Covid, but the work on the Paseo meant a double whammy of issues stretching back to March 2020 and the lockdown. The work has finished, but well before it was completed, concerns were raised as to what it would entail. A loss of parking - an estimated 1,200 parking spaces have gone - remains a major concern.
In January, there was a report about businesses for sale, for rent or for transfer ('traspasa'). There were different reasons, but it was clear that the loss of business caused by the redevelopment and the elimination of some 1,200 parking spaces was high on the list.
At the start of March, there was a more optimistic report. Businesses had adopted a new slogan - 'The Marítimo is waiting for you' - as they set about a revitalisation of the area. A member of the board of the ABONE nightlife association, Valerio Petrillo, said there was optimism and confidence: "We're now starting to see new projects and openings." But he admitted that businesses had suffered very serious losses and that there were still issues to resolve.
He now believes it will be a pretty good season, partly because he anticipates increased tourist demand resulting from a diversion of tourists to Mallorca from the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East destinations. The scale of this diversion is currently open to question, the island's hoteliers having disputed that there is such a movement while tour operators (UK ones in particular) are saying there is.
Petrillo continues to be optimistic, but he seems to be in the minority. Last Monday, a new association of businesses was presented. Called simply 'Marítim', their complaints were familiar ones that have been made over the past several months. The years of the redevelopment, the elimination of the parking spaces, the limited public transport were causing "many businesses to lose a lot of money". Some were on the verge of bankruptcy.
Marítim brings together an influential array of business organisations. Among them are the CAEB Confederation of Balearic Business Associations, the CAEB Restaurants Association, ABONE, and the AVIBA association of travel agencies. The spokesperson, José Pérez, summarised the challenges: "Mobility and accessibility, support for businesses, safety and coexistence with residents, impeccable maintenance, and promotion."
He went on to say that the pandemic and the redevelopment had led to businesses being at a breaking point. He called for direct aid from the public authorities. Marítim will in fact be demanding funding in order to ensure the viability of businesses. Juan Miguel Ferrer, the president of the CAEB Restaurants, expressed his anger. "We should investigate who designed the project and why it was approved. It could have been done in phases; that would have been less disruptive." He added that there had been "broken promises" and observed that "half of the area is up for sale, while the other half isn't making ends meet".
Pérez pointed out that "neither taxis nor Uber come here anymore". "If you come here at night, you'll most likely have to walk home." Luis Recobeni, another member of ABONE, agrees with others that the new Paseo looks very nice, but insists that the authorities need to act in order to attract people. "They should help us with parking, security, and improved lighting."