MAN IN SAN AN by Martin Makepeace

The fallout from the 2016 noise study in San Antonio continues with the local government set to introduce more measures this week to control the decibels by setting up “Zones of Special Acoustic Protection”. 

In a warning to the West End and other high noise areas the council will set up a clear and defined process for the regular measurement of noise. If an area exceeds the legal limits by 15 decibels or more then the area will be designated for ‘special sound protection’ which will make it easier for the council to punish persistent offenders. 

The council has been in contact with municipalities in Mallorca and Valencia that have similar problems and have also contracted a company to take regular noise measurements during the summer which will also see if changes, such as the removal of terraces at midnight, are working.

The irony of this strict stance won’t be lost on those residents who were kept awake until 3am this past Friday and Saturday by a Rock Concert on Arenal Beach in San Antonio. The ‘Libertad de Sueños’ festival saw a massive stage erected on the sand and live music played until the early hours keeping many in the town awake. 

Most residents weren’t questioning the value of having a major concert in the heart of San An but nearly all decried the fact that it went on until 3am with some local bar owners saying it only highlights the double standards and hipocrisy of the current San Antonio town hall.

I’m currently staying at a friends place in Mallorca for a short vacation and loving every minute.  Don’t get me wrong Ibiza is, and always will be, my first love so I’m not being unfaithful but this trip has emphasised how things change in the tourism world. Let me explain.

15 to 20 years ago you could argue that the 4 inhabited Balearic Islands were all similar bucket and spade resorts for those of varying budgets. 70s, 80s and 90’s families only had to choose which one to visit every summer. As a kid my own family alternated between Ibiza and Mallorca.

Now in 2017 the 4 islands couldn’t be any more defined in style and profile. The western world has become wealthier and as tastes have changed so have the individial Balearic resorts to accommodate the paying tourist, reacting to market forces. Darwin’s theory of evolution is apparent for all to see, or as I prefer to say “The market dictates”. 

Playa den Bossa is a prime example. Little more than 10 years ago it was the main family resort in Ibiza with hotels specially designed around kids. Nowadays it’s a cosmopolitan mecca rivalling Las Vegas as the best adult-only resort in the world. 5 star hotels are opening all over the island: Hilton are now in Ibiza Town and Nobu are just finishing their luxury hotel in Talamanca with Robert De Niro rumoured to be doing the honours at the opening party on 30 June. Ibiza may be hippy at heart but there’s no prizes for guessing which direction it’s rapidly moving in.

Ibiza’s smaller sibling Formentera has always been more exclusive and now the local government has pushed through reforms that has made it more eco friendly, keeping with tradition but also making the place even more beautiful and seemingly untouched. Having the best beaches in the world obviously helps but the island is now near the top of the tourist food chain with prices at eye-watering levels but try getting a room in the summer, nearly impossible.

Menorca rivals Formentera for amazing beaches and is still regarded as a family destination. Also like the 4th Balearic island it’s flat so ideal for outdoor pursuits and is home to Menorca Cricket Club who play at arguably the most beautiful cricket ground in Spain  Everyone who visits is usually surprised by the island’s quiet beauty and many return. It’s debatable whether the Menorca government wants mass tourism as their infrastructure isn’t huge and they seem happy with their niche in the market so if it’s not broke then why fix it but you can’t help thinking they they may need a new PR company to fully realise their potential.

Mallorca is still top of the tree when it comes to mass market, popular tourism. It’s easy to see why the largest Balearic island holds so much appeal. It’s organised and confident, has great beaches, beautiful mountains and activities for families, couples, sports people and thrill-seekers alike. Even the much maligned Magaluf has more facilities than the other 3 islands put together and in Palma it has one of the most spectacular cities in Spain. Like Ibiza, Mallorca has been a victim of its own success but much of the 1400 square miles is still undeveloped, and if you head out to the more rural areas you can enjoy a far more traditional island escape.

The Siblings 

Ibiza: The noisy yet cool renegade, a new age hippy dressed in the latest expensive fashions. 

Formentera: The chic bohemian, a natural beauty who always looks the part. The star pupil who doesn’t need to shout loud. 

Menorca: The quiet thoughtful one that rarely lets you down. Dependable and humble, doesn’t like to boast.

Mallorca: The confident big brother you look up to and who sets the standards for all to follow. Often have to ask his permission before doing anything.

With these siblings there are no losers, only winners. 4 islands, 4 different flavours, 4 to choose from. The main winner is the hard working tourist who only has to select which beautiful island to visit. That’s sibling rivalry but not as we know it.

Note: it’s my ‘Man in San An’ 2nd anniversary. Thanks to all who follow, read and comment. 173 blog posts so far and counting. 

Michaella McCollum, half of the infamous ‘Peru 2’ is back on the White Isle this week. We know this because it was plastered all over everyone’s favourite rag in a highly choreographed photograph ensemble most likely negotiated by her PR company. 

You may remember that Ms McCollum was arrested in Lima airport along with Melissa Reid, they were both subsequently found guilty of trying to smuggle several kilos of cocaine from South America to Europe and served time in a Peruvian prison. They aren’t the first gormless wannabe’s to think they are untouchable and they definitely won’t be the last but for Ibiza people this story was hard to swallow.

What was almost unforgivable is the tale they concocted to try and cover their tracks. Talk of mafia, guns, being ‘kidnapped’ and a notorious ‘cockney’ made Ibiza and more specifically San Antonio sound like an episode of a violent TV series. Those that live and work on the island listened to their story in disbelief especially those that knew the real one.

Ibiza has always had an edgy reputation but the pure fabrication put forward by the ‘Peru 2’ only served to put the fear of god into thousands of parents all over Europe as their children prepared to go on holiday to the hedonistic capital of the world. Their story played on all the usual stereotypes that people genuinely believe, that is until they actually take the time to come to the island and realise that it’s not at all like it’s depicted in the press. 

So Ms McCollum & Ms Reid without even realising it became the flag bearers for all the haters who enjoy doing the Island a disservice, this time only to cover up their own shortcomings.

Ms McCollum was young, naive and stupid and she has served her time. Everyone deserves a 2nd chance but you get the horrible feeling she is making a play for fame in our celebrity obsessed culture. To even give her the chance to make money out of her situation would be wrong in my opinion however it’s a twisted world we live in. 

Ms McCollum is now free to drink cocktails on the sunset strip but don’t expect us to be happy about it. The people of Ibiza deserve an official apology at the very least before we can even start to forgive.

The Special Summer Night Team or ‘ENEV’ will have 7 agents, 2 officers and a dog with a handler and will work on a shift system that allows 4 to patrol every night from 1 May to 30 September. These agents will be additional to the existing local police force. 

The team will operate from 9pm-6am from 1 May to 31 August then 10pm-6.30am in September. Their main job will be to enforce local laws with regards to coexistence, noise control, illegal street sellers, bar closing times and security. 

The creation of this new group is in direct response to the proposals made by residents and business groups whilst developing San Antonio’s new strategic plan. 

Source: Nou Diari

San Antonio council has maintained it’s ban on ‘dynamic publicity’ (public relations or PR’s) for the 2nd year running. 

There was a rumour that the authorised coloured jackets were coming back however this has now been quashed with news that fines will be intensified will penalties from 6,000 to 30,000 euros. 

During summer 2016 the Local Police issued 89 ‘denuncias’ for PR’s, 3 for posters, 2 for leaflets and 3 for parades.

The council say that the PRs cause a negative impact to the environment and the right of citizens to move freely without being hassled.  They did not comment on illegal street sellers. 

Source: Nou Diari

As Ibiza’s San Antonio council presented their new law to close the West End terraces at 12am without exception, Juanjo Ferrer the councillor responsible for urban planning, referenced the few “Rotten Apples” that they are looking to act against.

So who are these rotten apples?  It’s well known within local circles thats there’s some bar owners who are spoiling it for everyone.  These are the bars who hassle youngsters as they walk by with their ‘special offers’.

A typical ‘special offer’ to a group of 4. For 15 euros per person you can get:

2 drinks per person
2 shots per person
1 jug of cocktail
1 bottle of local spirits

We all know what happens when you ‘force’ alcoholic drinks on youngsters. The ending isn’t very pretty, just ask the amazing people from the 24-7 christian charity who patrol the West End and surrounding areas every night in the summer helping out youngsters in trouble. The stats are quite alarming.

The West End is a proud institution that organically grew over the years and has provided a gateway for many people to discover Ibiza. It also offers a great option to those who don’t want to spend 200 euros a night at one of Ibiza’s famous superclubs but targeting youngsters then hassling them with the sole purpose of plying them with cheap alcohol for profit is having a detrimental effect on the West End as a whole.

The consequences of a non-controlled West End is now there for all to see. It appears that the local council is trying to control by stealth focussing on the bar owners rather than the other elements of crimes that happen in plain view on a nightly basis.

With no police presence to talk about and a council that has clearly lost patience, until the West End cleans up it’s own act the good apples will get treated the same way as the rotten apples, which is bad news for many. 

San Antonio Council has finally presented its plans for terraces in the town centre.  For this summer all terraces must now ‘close’ at midnight however non-musical establishments (restaurants etc) can apply for a 2am extension.

This extension does not apply to the area known as the West End where all terraces need to be closed by 12am midnight without exception.

Juanjo Ferrer, the councillor responsible for urban planning said that he had listened to various groups and associations and modified the change from 11pm to midnight.

Interestingly Señor Ferrer also said the new law is “to favour the general interest over a few who are the rotten apples of the town”.

Pepe Sala, spokesman for the opposition, said that the new law was ‘arbitrary’ and runs ‘the risk of  becoming discriminatory’.

Source: Diario de Ibiza

Last Saturday’s ‘Council in the Square’ public meeting was held in San Antonio where Ibiza’s elected officials take a question and answer session. It was an interesting experience but what did we learn?

Firstly we learnt that even though the most vague comments on social media public forums attract scores of comments varying in levels of personal abuse when it comes down to it those keyboard warriors would rather stick to their Saturday routine and stay sat behind their computers than stand up and be counted. 

The press reported that I ‘monopolised’ proceedings but that’s very easy to do when there are only 20 people in the audience, many there out of curiosity rather than to ask pertinent questions about the decisions that define our Island. This was disappointing in the extreme and shows the total apathy towards Ibiza politics.

We also learnt that these politicians are a slick bunch, smiling their way through 2 hours by answering questions with 5 minute speeches that contain more questions than answers. They also like to hide behind laws that they say they are unable to overcome to make our island a better place.

As expected the housing crisis took up the bulk of the questions and Viviana de Sans the Vice President of the Island Council and leader of the left wing ‘Podemos’ party had a finely worded script that she she has used on many occasions (including 3 times during this meeting). 

My question about the housing problem to Sra de Sans was straightforward: “There are over 2000 apartments advertised online for touristic use which is illegal. How many inspectors do you have and how many fines have you given out”. 

Sra de Sans repeated her prepared script without going into specifics but when pushed she admitted that under existing legislation it is difficult to prosecute apartment owners when they produce long term contracts even though they are clearly renting short term or say that only family and friends stay.  I asked her if they had issued many sanctions and when put on the spot she admitted that less than 100 fines had been given out (and by her body language I suspect its a LOT less than 100).

De Sans is a skilled orator and you can see why she has become the pied piper of the left. Another good talker is Pepa Mari, a career politician who has been around for many years for the socialist PSOE party. She’s now in charge of transport and mobility and fielded questions on taxis, too many cars, public transport and winter flights. She smiled her was through but as is usual in Ibiza, we seem to make life difficult without using the obvious solutions to the big problems. Sra Mari took slight offence to my ascertation that instead of spending thousands sending large political delegations to travel shows around Europe the money would be better spent ‘helping’ Ryanair to put on more international winter flights. 

As the questions dried up and the organisers tried to avoid eye contact with me I decided to throw in a last curveball to Miguel Vericad the environment councillor of the left wing Guanyem party. After they eventually gave me the mic I asked: “why did you let the people from Mallorca kill our goats, it was a PR disaster on a global scale, do you regret it?”

The press reported this as ‘a final poisoned dart’ however all I wanted was for him to say that they made a mistake. Sr Vericad came across as a very nice bloke and he explained that he received many death threats but still insisted that it was the right decision although he admitted that is was a public relations nightmare and could have been handled differently.

As the meeting came to an end I had a brief chat with Sr Vericad who I had warmed to over the preceding couple of hours as he looked like an old teacher of mine in his baggy crumpled jacket and comfortable shoes. The politicians went off to another paid for lunch and I mulled over what we learnt?  Nothing that we didn’t know already: Not enough apartments, poor laws that’s don’t allow us to fix problems, poor public transport, too many cars, not enough taxis, not enough winter flights (but it’s improving) and some Ibiza restaurants serve a good goat stew (according to my new friend Miguel).

Most importantly we learnt that the ‘Facebook agitators’ are exactly that but for me the meeting wasn’t about any miracle answers or solutions but more about getting the politicians to comment on public record so there’s no hiding place for them if they don’t follow through.

The ‘Ibiza rental crisis’ has gathered momentum over the last 18 months with prices now at an all time high. The local press has been full of horror stories such as a picture of a lady filling her suitcase with the headline “No home, goodbye Ibiza”.

The property boom of 10 years ago saw many new residential blocks go up providing better living standards and increasing the all year population. It was also relatively easy to buy a property as the banks were lending money but inevitably land prices rocketed and many developers ceased trading. The classic boom and bust.

Ibiza being a small island there is a limited amount of land so unless they start sanctioning high rise blocks (which they won’t) there is also limited living space especially as since the crash and change of government there has been very little construction work, in fact it’s come to a complete standstill. 

Demand is high and supply is low and it doesn’t take an economics genius to figure out what happens next. Whether you think landlords are greedy or just maximising we live in a free market. If someone is prepared to pay a high price then that is the market price. We don’t live in a communist state and the market dictates the price not the owner but it’s also worth remembering that not all owners are capitalist pigs, some ask reasonable prices. 

Let’s also throw Airbnb into the equation.  It’s changed the rules as apartment owners can comfortably get more for their property in 3 or 4 months than renting it all year round. Ibiza is first and foremost a tourist destination after all (and shouldn’t tourists take priority? But that’s a whole different argument).

Technically it’s illegal to rent out apartments in residential blocks to tourists however the promised clamp down by the authorities hasn’t happened. 

The simple fact of the matter (and this may upset the traditionalists who think that the island should live in a time warp) is that Ibiza is at the top of its game and people are prepared to pay a premium to be a part of that. Rental prices have caught up and are now surging ahead fuelled by a high demand by those wanting to live in ‘paradise’. 

Ibiza is now the most expensive place in the whole of Spain to rent an apartment putting us ahead of Madrid and Barcelona. Great news for landlords and those who bit the bullet and bought their own place but very bad news for the not-very-well-paid civil servants and those wanting an affordable life on the most famous 220 square mile island in the world. 

So unless theres a catastrophic event or the government start financing affordable housing or they decide to seriously crack down on illegal apartment rentals the situation isn’t going to change anytime soon however there is some good news. 

There’s affordable housing all over Spain, for example you can get a decent 2 bedroom apartment in Benidorm or Malaga or Murcia or Estepona or Almería or Salou and many other towns for 500-700 euros PCM.  They are close to major cities and there also plenty of jobs.

But it’s not Ibiza and thats exactly the problem. Love it or hate it, everyone wants a piece of the White Isle because it’s amazing and gives you a quality of life found in very few places.  Unlike in previous years that now comes at a high price.