Bar and restaurant terraces extended to parking spaces under lockdown de-escalation in capital of Spain’s holiday island Mallorca

BAR, cafe and restaurant terraces are being extended into parking spaces in Mallorca capital Palma to help establishments comply with the lockdown de-escalation limits on customer capacity and to allow for social distancing.
The city council has approved the temporary occupation of parking areas from when the first phase of the de-escalation comes into force, which is expected to be on Monday. The administration said the measure would apply for as long as social distancing recommendations remain in place and while there are limitations on capacity.
Under phase one the maximum for terraces is 50 per cent.
Palma mayor Jose Hila said the measure would be modified if State regulations change.
He also called for patience on the part of hospitality trade businesses, saying it was probable that some of the requests for stretching terraces into parking zones would take some sorting out administratively.
“The aim is to make economic activity compatible with pedestrian use”, explained Citizen Participation and Interior Government councillor Alberto Jarabo.
“With this terrace extension we will save many families who find themselves in a complex financial situation, at the same time as we encourage citizens to enjoy their neighbourhoods with the necessary precautions”, Jarabo commented.
“We are gaining space until now taken up by vehicles. I hope that that the establishment owners and the customers respect neighbours’ rest”, he added.
“What we cannot allow it that it goes from the silence of confinement to uncontrolled noise. We have to favour the sound of life coming back with greater awareness of the need for health coexistence.”
The terrace extensions will be at no cost to the businesses and can be requested by all bars, restaurants and cafes in Palma with the pertinent activities licences and which have parking spaces in front of their establishments, independently of whether they have a licence for occupying a public space.
The parking spaces on which they can put tables, chairs, umbrellas, screens, wooden flooring and flower pots will be strictly limited to those right in front of the establishment façade and on the same side of the pavement. The businesses will also have to remove the tables, chairs, umbrellas and screens from the spaces when they close.
Taking up parking spaces for the disabled, for loading and unloading and for bus and taxi stops will be prohibited. The same will apply to spaces reserved for electric vehicle recharging and for bikes.