The Paseo del Born in Palma has reached its maximum permitted terrace occupancy this summer, with four establishments totalling 129.36 square metres. The new terrace at Casal Solleric, awarded to the Cappuccino Group, has been the last to be installed.
The Paseo del Born, the most emblematic boulevard in Palma, has reached the limit of its capacity to host hospitality terraces. With the opening of the fourth terrace, that of Casal Solleric managed by the Cappuccino Group, the maximum occupancy allowed by the mayoral decree of 31 May 2024 has been reached. This specific regulation for the promenade is in addition to the general ordinance on public space occupancy.
The four terraces together occupy 129.36 square metres of the centre of the promenade, with tables, chairs, umbrellas, awnings, screens, and planters. Each has a distinctive colour: Born 8 features brown umbrellas; Terra, green; Siesta, white; and the new one at Casal Solleric, a reddish maroon tone. The free space for citizens is reduced to 3,149 square metres, but fragmented between the terraces and the sides.
A fourth terrace that exceeds expectations
The new terrace at Casal Solleric, located in the heart of the Born, was awarded by the Palma City Council to the Cappuccino Group for an annual fee of 300,000 euros. Although the concession only requires serving coffee, tea, soft drinks, juices, artisan pastries, toast, yoghurts, sandwiches, and salads, the establishment offers full meals brought from the Cappuccino at Joan Carles I square. A sign on the terrace announces that they serve meals at any time, and the waiters transport them from the other location.
The City Council requires that the furniture be placed at least ten metres away from the lions of the Born, an emblematic point of the promenade. However, the regulation that mandates the removal of all furniture at closing time is systematically violated, as reported by the Citizen Defender and confirmed by this newspaper on several occasions.
Public space increasingly reduced
The only area of the promenade without terraces is the façade of Can Sitjar, where the Oysho store of Inditex is located, near the Queen's square. There, the City Council sets up a stage for activities and celebrations. The rest of the promenade is occupied by terraces, which leave narrow corridors for pedestrian traffic. Residents and visitors complain about the lack of free space and the noise, although hospitality owners argue that the terraces bring life to the Born.
For Palma residents, this saturation of terraces represents a change in the use of public space. The Born, which was once a place for strolling and meeting, has become a large outdoor dining area. Those who wish to sit without consuming will have to look for the side areas or the benches next to Can Sitjar.
The Palma City Council, for its part, assures that the specific regulation of the Born seeks to reconcile hospitality activity with the right to rest and enjoy public space. But the reality is that the limit has been reached and no new licenses are expected. Meanwhile, the failure to remove furniture at night remains a recurring problem.
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