There may be trouble ahead...

[kate1]

I've always been one of the first to jump to the defence of PP whenever anyone posts that it's in terminal decline.

But after my most recent visit I am starting to concede that all the doomsayers may just have a point...

I thought the Pine Walk area looked fine - no dirtier than usual considering it was peak season. But other areas, the Square in particular, really are beginning to look dreadful. Clearly no attempt made to clear weeds etc and the overall impression is one of scruffiness and neglect. Recent arrivals such as the Sports Bar - which frankly would look right at home in Peckham - haven't helped matters and the music blaring out from the Lemon Bar doesn't improve the ambience. We had a long chat to the owners of a long-established restaurant on the Square and he was gloomy, to say the least. Says that the area is now so down at heel and filthy that cockroaches are a common sight in the streets. Attempts to force the Council to do something about this always end in failure. He is sure that a number of businesses in the Square will fold this autumn because it has become such an unappealing destination. He lives in Alcudia where the Council have spent large amounts in upgrading the Old Town - certainly our visit there confirmed this, with an impressive (and free) new car parking area, beautiful flower beds and public areas and very attractive street signage. For the first time Alcudia felt much buzzier and frankly more appealing than PP. There were lots of visitors too. It's certainly come up in the world in the last couple of years. Not sure what any of us can do to stop the rot - and as I said the decline does seem confined to very specific parts of PP - but it's so frustrating to see such a potentially beautiful area neglected in this way.

 

[alcanadakid]

I've always been one of the first to jump to the defence of PP whenever anyone posts that it's in terminal decline.

But after my most recent visit I am starting to concede that all the doomsayers may just have a point...

I thought the Pine Walk area looked fine - no dirtier than usual considering it was peak season. But other areas, the Square in particular, really are beginning to look dreadful. Clearly no attempt made to clear weeds etc and the overall impression is one of scruffiness and neglect. Recent arrivals such as the Sports Bar - which frankly would look right at home in Peckham - haven't helped matters and the music blaring out from the Lemon Bar doesn't improve the ambience. We had a long chat to the owners of a long-established restaurant on the Square and he was gloomy, to say the least. Says that the area is now so down at heel and filthy that cockroaches are a common sight in the streets. Attempts to force the Council to do something about this always end in failure. He is sure that a number of businesses in the Square will fold this autumn because it has become such an unappealing destination. He lives in Alcudia where the Council have spent large amounts in upgrading the Old Town - certainly our visit there confirmed this, with an impressive (and free) new car parking area, beautiful flower beds and public areas and very attractive street signage. For the first time Alcudia felt much buzzier and frankly more appealing than PP. There were lots of visitors too. It's certainly come up in the world in the last couple of years. Not sure what any of us can do to stop the rot - and as I said the decline does seem confined to very specific parts of PP - but it's so frustrating to see such a potentially beautiful area neglected in this way.

I echo what is said about Alcudia old town, which is charming and this year has been busier than usual. Port Alcudia also seems to have been busier and has improved quite a lot with some very good restaurants around. As a resident of nearby Alcanada we still see a street and pavement cleaner in our quiet road once a week which is always impressive. Both places seem to be coming up in the world

 

[BonysLad]

Recent arrivals such as the Sports Bar - which frankly would look right at home in Peckham -

No way Pedro !!!!. It's epidemic, you plonker cos we've got the Nags Head and that's real cushty !!!!

Delboy

 

[annascotland]

We so agree....always used to have a nightcap at Mulligans on the way home, this area is horrible now, we took day trip to Soller and think we might just stay there instead for next visit to Majorca.

 

[Jimbo the Jambo]

We so agree....always used to have a nightcap at Mulligans on the way home, this area is horrible now, we took day trip to Soller and think we might just stay there instead for next visit to Majorca.

Anna,
I so agree, especially after Delboys comments,

jtj

 

[bevgt]

Im afraid we agree Alcudia old town was lovely as so was Pollensa they have really made it lovely since we were last there,but the port is looking really tatty dogs poo as usual and I agree square looking very run down.

 

[BonysLad]

Kate ,

To be serious for a moment you raise an interesting point but there are two issues at stake here. The establishment of " commercial premises " will be very much ruled by the market so if there is a demand for bars and sports pubs the market will rule . The council will be happy to take the taxes of any ongoing viable establishment whatever we think is in good taste or not.

Probably the more important point is what the Council intends to do with the infrastructure of the Town and you ,quite rightly ,compare with Alcudia and Pollenca town centre where more council effort has obviously been spent. There are plans on the drawing board to upgrade the PP square but am afraid there just doesn't seem to be any money designated to the Port for such work. Be interesting to see what the relevent costings are compared with the money spent on the pedestrian walkway betweem PP and Pollenca earlier this year and which prima facie seems a complete waste of money if you observe the number of people still walking on the cycle paths !!!!. Sadly there just doesn't seem to be any money for the Port and the reason why so many marched earlier this year against the Council.

A simple example is that I have started my Olympic swimmimg regime this week ( hold your breath, guys cos don't think I'll make the final team !!!

Now, as a resident you would think I could stroll 100 metres from my front door and use the Council swimming pool every day to meet my needs. Alas, no ,cos there ain't any money to pay the electricity bill or the mgt co . This fine facility has been closed for weeks now and although most people want to swim outdoors it ain't always practical for many local kids or families.

So at the crack of dawn , everyday,I drive to Alcudia to their fine pool and pay 3.50 Euros per day as a non resident to get my lengths in before breakfast .

Please don't despair or give up on the place cos I know of many here that will keep pressing the council to do exactly what you suggest , an upgraded and more attractive square, the pedestrianisation planned for the front towards Alcudia and other suitable infrastructure improvements.

We just have to keep shouting loudly when it comes to Pollenca allocating the money !!!!

BonysLad

 

[Kat19]

We have been coming to PP on and off for 20 years and agree that the square is now looking run down. We were in Alcudia old town and noticed that a lot of money had been spent there and also in Pollensa.

I really can't beigin to understand why the council don't invest in the same way in PP. it would not take a lot of money to at least tidy up the square and make it a lot more attractive to visitors and improve things for the people running restaurants.

Annascotland we went to Puerto Soller for a few days after our week in Pollensa this summer and really enjoyed it. I don't think it will ever replace Pollensa for us but very enjoyable.

 

[Jimbo the Jambo]

Kate ,

To be serious for a moment you raise an interesting point but there are two issues at stake here. The establishment of " commercial premises " will be very much ruled by the market so if there is a demand for bars and sports pubs the market will rule . The council will be happy to take the taxes of any ongoing viable establishment whatever we think is in good taste or not.

Probably the more important point is what the Council intends to do with the infrastructure of the Town and you ,quite rightly ,compare with Alcudia and Pollenca town centre where more council effort has obviously been spent. There are plans on the drawing board to upgrade the PP square but am afraid there just doesn't seem to be any money designated to the Port for such work. Be interesting to see what the relevent costings are compared with the money spent on the pedestrian walkway betweem PP and Pollenca earlier this year and which prima facie seems a complete waste of money if you observe the number of people still walking on the cycle paths !!!!. Sadly there just doesn't seem to be any money for the Port and the reason why so many marched earlier this year against the Council.

A simple example is that I have started my Olympic swimmimg regime this week ( hold your breath, guys cos don't think I'll make the final team !!!

Now, as a resident you would think I could stroll 100 metres from my front door and use the Council swimming pool every day to meet my needs. Alas, no ,cos there ain't any money to pay the electricity bill or the mgt co . This fine facility has been closed for weeks now and although most people want to swim outdoors it ain't always practical for many local kids or families.

So at the crack of dawn , everyday,I drive to Alcudia to their fine pool and pay 3.50 Euros per day as a non resident to get my lengths in before breakfast .

Please don't despair or give up on the place cos I know of many here that will keep pressing the council to do exactly what you suggest , an upgraded and more attractive square, the pedestrianisation planned for the front towards Alcudia and other suitable infrastructure improvements.

We just have to keep shouting loudly when it comes to Pollenca allocating the money !!!!

BonysLad

Blue Skys tommorow BL. Keep pressing. Market forces will determine the future for all of us, but, why don't you stand for election to the local council and really use your talents to improve things in your own backyard.
Just to keep the right side of Zelda, I have a great recipe for Scottish Stuffed Mussells....al a' Banockburn'.

cheers,

jimbo

p.s. back in a few (years) Maybe.

 

[Chemical Dave]

Anna

Soller is lovely I don't think you will be disappointed spending some time there.

I have not been out to PP this year but last year the area round the square was looking a bit tired but didn't seem to put people off. It would not take much to brighten the area up though, a couple of thousand euros should cover it and it would make such as difference.

I read on here that people are amazed that more money is not spent on the port rather tham Alcudia or Pollensa, as they think the port provides a lot of income to the council. I think the opposite is true. The Port is an expensive drain on funds.

Assuming council funding is similar to the UK then the following may go some way to explaining it.

Councils get their funding from local taxes on residents and businesses and the government. Pollensa has more residents and business operating all year round than the Port and less tourists. Also the influx of thousands of tourists to the Port costs money to clean up after them. Who pays for that - not the tourist but the local taxpayers. The local council will not benefit hugely from the tourists, the local businesses and taxman will though. I reckon that the income from PP residents and businesses goes to providing public services for the tourists leaving little left for PP infrastructure improvements. It's popularity counts against it to some degree in my opinion. It's a double edged sword.

Adios

Dave

 

[favie]

Have to agree, Soller is lovely, had morning coffee in that wonderful square and lunch down in the bay...it took my breath away when I first seen it ...it is truly beautiful and I look forward to seeing it all again one day....but it will only be for a day because I would rather be in PP!!
I do hope the council get their finger out and make improvements to the square for the locals and businesses but although I have said before, it is not the 'Best' square I have seen (Soller is better and Pollenca) as a holidaymaker I see past all the probs....in a May afternoon, when it is almost empty it still is a wonderful place to be....peaceful and tranquil comes to mind and I don't even notice the over-grown weeds etc!!

 

[kate1]

Don't worry BL, I won't give up on the place - we can't because we have committed ourselves to it financially and at the end of the day there's nowhere else I'd rather be. As I said the decline does seem confined to a certain relatively small area of PP and nothing can change the beauty of the scenery and the overall ambience. Fortunately the Pine Walk and the seafront (with obviously a few exceptions!) seem to have retained their charm. You are SO right about that footpath being a huge waste of money - last week the number of pedestrians I saw using it was precisely zero and that was August! Perhaps things are moving in the right direction - apparently the restaurant owners have reached the end of their patience and (finally) are about to get together formally and form some sort of pressure group. (Jimbo the Jambo is spot-on - PP needs you!)

 

[Celloman]

Kate1,
I echo your reply, I am in the same situation and with no regrets either. Been to all the other places and none have the ambience of PP.
I take BL’s points but if restaurants close and other businesses due to people staying away, the local council won’t have as much tax to collect, so were is the joined up thinking by these people.
Time for another march me thinks !

 

[clinkham]

Thought carefully before joining this thread - don't want to get a reputation a a moaner....but..
Just back this morning from a fortnight in PP. Much of what has been written earlier I would agree with. Not one of the best hols in PP. We have been visiting for many years since we had a nightmare week in Soller. There (back then!) when the last tour bus left at 4.30 all the shops and restraunts closed. During the day the hotel pool was surrounded by parked tour buses with engines running. We splashed out on a three day hire car and accidentally fell into PP. Looking for lunch, we walked down the side of the Diana. Beautiful! - the Bay, the Pine Walk - you all know the feeling! Mrs C fell in love with it. Soller is a pretty bay just the same as PP, but back then the place itself was grim. How I wish we had had the wherewithal and the foresight to buy property there. It seems almost that Soller and PP have now changed places. And how much has this upturn in Sollers fortunes been helped by the new tunnel and improved access. And how much did that cost?

Whilst regeneration funds are required from the local council to (kickstart) improve the infrastructure, a lot of improvements can be actioned by residents themselves.
Back to dog poo! It really isn't acceptable that the situation is as it is. And I speak as a dog owner. Walking the grandchildren passed the lawn and flower beds opposite the post office when the sprinklers went off. They, of course, wanted to run on the grass dodging the water. They would have had to dodge the dog poo as well. It was covered in little presents. Result, tears as they were dragged away. The leafier areas of Bellreguard estate were not immune. Every morning when coming out to the car had to flick away little parcels from the unmade pavement. One of the benefits of the current hot weather is that the moisture content is low and the poo can be repositioned without too much difficulty.

But we were paying a lot of money to spend 2 weeks in PP - part of the holiday shouldn't be devoted to dog poo removal!

 

[Belladonna]

BL - or anybody who knows about the politics of the islands really - I thought that the Balearic Government was supposed to be dealing with the tourist side of donating money to areas which needed it, not just the local council which obviously wants the taxes for themselves. A very complicated situation and one which certainly needs groups to stand up and be counted before standards fall much lower.

 

[BonysLad]

Blue Skys tommorow BL. Keep pressing. Market forces will determine the future for all of us, but, why don't you stand for election to the local council and really use your talents.

cheers,

jimbo

p.s. back in a few (years) Maybe.

Thanks Jimbo,

Will try and talk Sparky on joining me on the " Dream Ticket " for election. Keep posting , mate , cos you don't have to visit here for me, to continually offend you !!!!

Seriously though , we just have to keep making sure our voice is heard on what we expect here .

Amazed to see earlier that the council has forced Bony's to reduce the number of tables outside so Jose had cleared a lot of the outside space to conform. Ridiculous when I still get can't a swim . Was having a pre prandial drink there when Mr Plod turned up to check . Waylaid them by asking if they were Elton's security and he wouldn't be up til about 11 p.m. after the big show tonight . Just gave Jose time to clear a few more chairs & tables, phew !!!!

Life ain't dull here.

Keep the faith

BonysLad

 

[Jimbo the Jambo]

Thanks Jimbo,

Will try and talk Sparky on joining me on the " Dream Ticket " for election. Keep posting , mate , cos you don't have to visit here for me, to continually offend you !!!!

Seriously though , we just have to keep making sure our voice is heard on what we expect here .

Amazed to see earlier that the council has forced Bony's to reduce the number of tables outside so Jose had cleared a lot of the outside space to conform. Ridiculous when I still get can't a swim . Was having a pre prandial drink there when Mr Plod turned up to check . Waylaid them by asking if they were Elton's security and he wouldn't be up til about 11 p.m. after the big show tonight . Just gave Jose time to clear a few more chairs & tables, phew !!!!

Life ain't dull here.

Keep the faith

BonysLad

Can't believe the latitude on free expression (Is Zelda on holiday?) The dream ticket, yes, you and Sparky, I can see it now. Can I be your spin doctor? It worked for his Tonyness, about to be Sir Tony...............balony.
Again, secretness is vital, not a word to anyone. I think you will be a wonderful Dictator of PP.

For Zelda,

And, again, I have a great recipe for Seafood rissoto, cooked it tonight and Mrs. J said it was the best thing I have done in many a week.

jimbo (Returnee in waiting).

Get on the circuit BL.

jimbo

 

[Chemical Dave]

Thought carefully before joining this thread - don't want to get a reputation a a moaner....but..(

Clinkham

Don't worry, things won't improve if nobody complains. I suggest you email your concerns to the council. If enough tourists did this it would get noticed. We need a local to stand at the next elections as an independent.Suggestions for party name and slogan on a postcard please! -

What about dog poo bins, erecting signage, free pooper scoopers for all.

Adios

Dave

 

[Sparky]

Unfortunately as happens all too often, we give latitude and then certain members push it too far and their posts offend other members. As i have asked before, please show some respect when you voice your opinions. I really don't take any pleasure in having to edit peoples posts.

 

[lollipop]

BL, save your petrol money for your election campaign,the pool is now open!!. We may think that some of these new establishments are not what is needed but I drove through the port in the early hours of this morning ,returning from the great show, and there were people sittting quietly drinking at the newest of these bars. While I don't visit them it is up to individuals to make those choices