Spanish islands will have booze ban between 9:30pm and 8am in huge crackdown on tourists
It's bad news for boozing Brits heading to some of Spain's most popular destinations after an overnight alcohol ban has been introduced by politicians in the region.
Brits love Spain. So much so we go there more than anywhere else in the entire world, with more than 15 million of us heading there for our holidays last year.
Yet after the confusion of the so-called £97 rule that the Spanish government clarified for LADbible, actual bad news is now heading the way of those who associate a trip to Spain with a good few drinks.
Advert
Following on from the introduction of a tourism tax in Tenerife, the Balearic Islands - situated in the Mediterranean Sea - are incredibly popular with UK travellers given the inclusion of Majorca and Ibiza and their buzzing nightlife scenes.
Bad news if you love those places though, with the archipelago's government introduced a total ban on the sale of alcohol between 9.30pm and 8am the next day.
Set to be in place until December 2027 - a time during which it could be extended if politicians deem it necessary - it bans the sale of late night booze across four tourist areas on Majorca and Ibiza.
In Ibiza, the ban is in place in Sant Antoni while it impacts Llucmajor, Palma and Calvia in Majorca. These are all deemed to be areas where there is excessive tourism.
The ban doesn't stop there, with it also impacting party boats. They can no longer come a mile within any of the above four destinations, which includes a ban on picking up and dropping off in the regions.
The Mayor of Palma, Jaime Martinez, has placed a focus on addressing 'uncivil' attitudes in his city. As a result, fines of €3,000 could be thrown at those who break the new Civic Ordinance ruling.
The islands' Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport, Jaume Bauzà, said the new measure is to encourage 'responsible tourism and to improve quality in tourist areas'.
Other measures brought in under the same ruling include a ban on graffiti, scooters, and nudism. The laws come in to force from Saturday (11 May).
Luis Pomar, a press officer at the Balearic Islands tourism council, told the BBC that the crackdown on antisocial behaviour had been going on since 2020 and was working as the governing body wanted.
The hope now is that these laws can be lifted in time 'if we instil in people how to behave'.
Average fines issued out will range from €750 to €1,500, with the €3,000 top limit reserved for the most serious breaches.
Locals have previously said the measures would harm local businesses.
Topics: Alcohol, Food And Drink, Holiday, Travel, UK News, World News
Tom Earnshaw