The police in Playa de Palma, the 5km strip of beach from Can Pastilla to S'Arenal, have been authorised to issue on the spot fines to anyone found drinking alcohol on the beach. The move comes as officials fear that large groups of northern European holiday makers are driving away families from the Majorca beach resorts, intimidating younger holiday makers and littering the beach and sea.
The worst culprits, in this area of Mallorca, are apparently the Austrians with the Germans causing the second most amount of trouble and the Brits being the third most disruptive. From now on the Police will issue a warning to first time offenders caught drinking on the beach with fines starting at €50 for a second offence and escalating to €1800 for a third breach of the rules.
Many holiday makers claim that they are doing nothing wrong and that the police can't fine everyone. Quoted in The Guardian Karl Fischer, from Stuttgart, is adamant the authorities will eventually concede defeat.
"Are the police going to arrest everyone? It's crazy, they should leave the beach alone. It's our beach."
Perhaps like the smoking ban in the UK pubs and bars, that was originally met with resistance, this drink free beach will soon become the norm?
