Magaluf bars are closing their doors because UK tourists won’t follow coronavirus safety measures
Spain may have only recently opened back up for UK tourists after being off-limits due to the coronavirus crisis, but a popular area in Magaluf has now quickly closed back down.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe Balearic Ministry for Tourism ordered the closure of all the bars on the well known Punta Ballena strip in Magaluf, due to a series of incidents.
Bars closed for business
Bars in Punta Ballena and two other party strips in Playa de Palma, known locally as ‘Ham Street’ and ‘Beer Street’, have been closed.
The closures come just days after images emerged of drunk tourists ignoring the newlyimplemented regulations on both wearing face masks and social distancing. Visitors were seen partying along crammed streets, piling onto boats and jumping on cars.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe bar closures will come into effect immediately, and the regional government has said that they will last at least two months.
Balearic Islands tourism minister, Iago Negueruela, said, “We urge the general population and the tourists to obey rules on social distancing and the other measures put in place by the Balearic Islands government.
“If tourists are not prepared to obey these rules then we ask them not to come to our islands. We don’t want uncivil holidaymakers here. We passed an ‘anti-trash tourism’ decree at the start of the year to tell them not to come and not to misbehave.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdExtra security in Magaluf
The regional government has said that extra security would be deployed to Magaluf, and parts of Palma, in order to ensure the rules were being followed.
Fines will also be dished out to those caught breaking the new rules. This ranges from €100 (£90) for not wearing a face mask to fines of up to €600,000 (around £545,000) for those who are caught organising illegal parties.
Pub crawl tour and alcohol sales ban
In January of this year, the Balearic government banned pub crawl tours, drink discounts and sales of alcohol between 9.30pm and 8am in three holiday hotspots. The ban covers the regions of Playa de Palma and Magaluf - both in Majorca - and Ibiza's West End.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThis is in a bid to reduce so-called ‘booze tourism’, with the government in the Balearic Islands trying to clampdown on boozy tourists by banning happy hours, party boats and organised pub crawls.
If local businesses are caught breaking the law, they could face fines of up to €600,000. They could even be shut down for up to three years.
The new regulations came into force in January 2020, and are expected to be in place for at least five years.