Palma, on the Balearic island of Majorca, is undergoing an extensive makeover set to transform a waterfront area.
A 2.1-mile-long stretch of the city’s Paseo Marítimo, a wonderful promenade running parallel to Palma’s seafront, is being turned into a more pedestrian-friendly area with more modern infrastructures able to better serve the public – at the cost of approximately £32.19million (€37.5m).
The major refurbishing works started in January last year, and are set to last for some 20 months.
The existing six traffic lanes are being reduced to four to make way for new green space – with many flowerbeds and approximately 2000 trees being added – as well as for outdoor recreational areas and updated urban furniture.
The Paseo links tourists and locals to some of Palma’s main attractions, including its Catedral-Basílica de Santa María de Mallorca, and many restaurants and shops.
This major revamp of the Paseo, which is property of the Balearic Ports Authority rather than Palma town hall, promises to give a boost to the popular area.
However, not everybody is happy with the ongoing works – and some have been directly affected by them.
The redevelopment of Paseo Marítimo requires one of the nightclubs in the area, the Social Club, to be demolished – despite the company operating it, Alhambra S.A., having a concession for the club until 2027.
In January, Spain’s Transport Ministry ordered the “urgent occupation of the assets and rights owned by Alhambra S.A.”, which meant an expropriation order, as reported by local news outlet Majorca Daily Bulletin.
On April 5, representatives of the company and a delegation of the Spanish government in the Balearics met at the local town hall to formalise the forced expropriation.
The parts reportedly failed on that day to reach an agreement on the compensation owed to the club’s owners, but on April 6 Social Club issued a statement on Instagram to announce “with much sadness” the closure of the nightclub.
The sombre message informed the club’s clients that the expropriation and “delivery of keys to the facility” would be officially enforced on April 29.
The statement included heartfelt thanks to patrons as well as an invitation to “enjoy these last few weeks”.
It read: “Let’s enjoy these last few weeks, making the most of the time we have left. From the bottom of our hearts, we are immensely grateful for the incredible moments we have shared.”
Many Instagram users voiced their sadness at the news, with one writing: “What sad news, thank you @socialclubmallorca and your entire team for these wonderful years, I will always carry a part of this club in my heart, infinite thanks for so much! SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE.”
