How closures and changes affect the Port.

[pescador2009]

Always so sad to see our favourite eating places closing down, O'Lume, El Ancla, Manduca.
Others are changing - Trio / Tango, Tango / C'an Josep and seemingly still doing OK.
Over many years there have been many changes and who thought O'Lume would disappear after being such a favourite with many. Its not easy being in Business these days
along with the many many expenses of running one. The various restaurants, shops, etc. will have to pay their way all year round and not just during the tourist season.
We have all read on this forum at the lack of hotels open out of season / lack of winter flights over the years, and restauranteurs / shopkeepers / etc. have to exist all year round.
Many years ago I remember a senior member of staff in a well known PP hotel saying to me that he had to make his years wages (his family's income) in six months!
For many the same still applies today!
By the way Sparky, what do the locals do in winter in PP, or Pollensa for that matter? There appears to be very little industry and not too much farming around PP - though more towards Sa Pobla (farming) and Inca (industry). Presumably many locals travel to work each day, possibly to Inca / Palma, as the tourist industry is certainly not alive
in any big way during the winter months?

 

[Tangoman]

Very valid points Pescador2009.

Lets not forget the economy of many, many countries.

Not least the UK where things have improved to the extent that four years ago there were 56 Pubs/Licensed Restaurants closing every week - the figure now is still 35 closing each week.

 

[pollensa]

By the way Sparky, what do the locals do in winter in PP, or Pollensa for that matter? There appears to be very little industry and not too much farming around PP - though more towards Sa Pobla (farming) and Inca (industry). Presumably many locals travel to work each day, possibly to Inca / Palma, as the tourist industry is certainly not alive
in any big way during the winter months?

Am not a local (or Sparky) but we've always noticed a lot of building in the winter months as major building is stopped during the summer period.

 

[Nick]

I'm also pretty sure that those involved in the tourist industry get paid a certain amount of social security over the winter months until the season restarts.

 

[Sparky]

Always so sad to see our favourite eating places closing down, O'Lume, El Ancla, Manduca.
Others are changing - Trio / Tango, Tango / C'an Josep and seemingly still doing OK.
Over many years there have been many changes and who thought O'Lume would disappear after being such a favourite with many. Its not easy being in Business these days
along with the many many expenses of running one. The various restaurants, shops, etc. will have to pay their way all year round and not just during the tourist season.
We have all read on this forum at the lack of hotels open out of season / lack of winter flights over the years, and restauranteurs / shopkeepers / etc. have to exist all year round.
Many years ago I remember a senior member of staff in a well known PP hotel saying to me that he had to make his years wages (his family's income) in six months!
For many the same still applies today!
By the way Sparky, what do the locals do in winter in PP, or Pollensa for that matter? There appears to be very little industry and not too much farming around PP - though more towards Sa Pobla (farming) and Inca (industry). Presumably many locals travel to work each day, possibly to Inca / Palma, as the tourist industry is certainly not alive
in any big way during the winter months?

Hi Pescadore, many of the workers always used to work on construction around the island during the winter but since the recession hit, building work became very scarce so basically they had to make their summer earnings stretch over the winter (the benefit system is very different here).
I have noticed that a lot now go back to the mainland or to the Canaries to find work and those that remain here don't socialize as often as they used to which means that the Port is much quieter except for Sant Antoni when they let their hair down for a couple of days.
Of course as Pollensa has said there is always some construction going on in PP and Pollensa, also a lot of general maintenance takes place in the hotels and the summer staff are often used for this.

 

[Sparky]

I'm also pretty sure that those involved in the tourist industry get paid a certain amount of social security over the winter months until the season restarts.

Yes Nick they do but only if they have worked for a set number of months in the summer, i am not sure what that is now, it used to be 6 months but i think it was reduced to 4 or 5. Also the amount is not a lot compared to UK benefits.

 

[pescador2009]

Thanks for your post Sparky.
Just out of interest and to get an overall view of the PP area: Apart from Tourism and some Building works what is there for the young people to do, both male and female, who are setting out on a career. Are there many possibilities with the Local Authority, Schools, Civil Service. Are there any Industries (as such) paying good salaries at all in the PP or Pollensa areas. I can't think of too much from my visits over the years, though there will also be Civil Engineering works in connection with any road improvements and building in several new areas around PP - many of us have all seen it grow in size over the years.
Originally PP was reasonably well known as a small Fishing Port but even that side of things has declined and there are few decent sized fishing boats in the harbour these days. Perhaps there are opportunities in the Marine Industry with there being such a goodly number of decent sized Yachts and Power Boats in the Marina these days - (Sales / Servicing / Repairs / Berthing / Etc.) - Perhaps 'Fil' or 'NPN' may know a bit more on this side of things.

 

[Sparky]

Sadly there isn't really much for youngsters apart from the hospitality sector so many have to move further afield to find career opportunities, i personally know of several who have gone to the UK. This is a shame because it means the area is effectively losing a generation.

 

[Nick]

I'm afraid I don't know that much about island employment. You would have the usual shop, office, social, teaching and medical work. Throw in some farming and fishing, both limited these days, with tourism being the main earner. That would be my educated guess.

Sparky's our "man on the ground"! and may know more. I can assure you though that if, god forbid, tourism went into a massive decline then the island would suffer enormously. I do suppose though that many well educated youngsters work outside Mallorca.

 

[Stevo66]

Yes Nick they do but only if they have worked for a set number of months in the summer, i am not sure what that is now, it used to be 6 months but i think it was reduced to 4 or 5. Also the amount is not a lot compared to UK benefits.

My daughter and her boyfriend own and run Pollensa's no.1 restaurant as listed on Trip Advisor.They would not agree with you Sparky about the amounts they have to pay their staff during the closed season.

 

[Sparky]

My daughter and her boyfriend own and run Pollensa's no.1 restaurant as listed on Trip Advisor.They would not agree with you Sparky about the amounts they have to pay their staff during the closed season.

Sorry was just going by what i was told by working locals, Stevo i wasn't aware that employers had to pay staff unemployment benefits when they are closed. So are you saying that there is no state benefit .

 

[Sparky]

This from the Majorca Daily Bulletin today, i think it explains why so many leave the island in winter.

Unemployed running out of benefits and help.

By Francisco Cortez

The Balearics was last year the community with the lowest rating in terms of protection for workers whose unemployment benefits had run out.Workers in the tourism sector were the worse affected by the lack of government support.
Seven out of every ten workers, representing 95,000 people, struggled to make ends meet, since their unemployment benefit ran out. Many of those working in tourism were the most affected because they failed to work the necessary time the previous year to renew their benefit claim.
The Balearic support system in these situations was rated last year as the worst, 29.3 percent less effective, than the national average.
According to a study revealed yesterday by the University of the Balearics, the “protection tax” to help those in such situations has been declining progressively since 2011.
“Back in 2009, the government still managed to help over 40 percent of citizens in long term unemployment,” a leading economics professor from the university said.
“It rose over the following two years and slumped again in 2011, and it’s now 12.4 percent lower than then.
“It looks like the ‘apparently good tourism seasons’ are not being reflected in the amount of protection given by the state to workers in these sort of extreme situations.