Bars and restaurants in a busy holiday island's party district plan to introduce dress restrictions outlawing the wearing of football shirts in radical moves to outlaw drunken behaviour. Rules will also block shirtless drinkers being served in establishments to block anti-social antics.
Venues in Playa de Palm, Majorca, have imposed the dress code after complaining the island's tourism of excesses decree, which aims to stop binge drinking in the area, is not working. A body representing around a dozen establishments warned urgent action was needed to prevent the problem worsening.
The Balearics Islands tourism of excesses decree affects only Magalluf, Playa de Palma and Sant Antonio in Ibiza. Measures include alcohol restrictions in all-inclusive hotels, tough fines for "balconing", and an end to special offers on alcohol in the three resorts. But hotel and restaurant group Palma Beach, warned controls were not working and extra action was required to banish the problem.
It stated: "The growing tide of tourists who are repeating the same behaviour as always and which is even worse than in previous years. We have already given up on the season in terms of controlling anti-social behaviour."
Police have pledged to increase efforts to stamp out bad behaviour among boisterous tourists and there will be a reinforcement of summer patrols. Customers in Playa de Palma will be allowed to wear football shirts during the day, but as in many hotels, the wearing colours or being shirtless will be outlawed during evening trading hours.
Juan Miguel Ferrer and Pedro Marín, chief executive and manager of Palma Beach, told local media: "Since May 10 there have been large groups of tourists who are just looking to get drunk. Tourism of excesses regulations introduced in January 2020 are not working.
"The availability of alcohol in all-inclusive hotels may have been controlled, but the problem is out on the streets."
There are also demands that any police-imposed cash penalties for excessive behaviour are paid on the spot by offenders.
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