Balearic Islands bans late night alcohol sales in Mallorca and Ibiza with prohibition kicking in at 9.30pm
The Balearic islands are set to enforce a total prohibition from 9.30pm after problematic drinking and rowdiness in holiday hotspots such as Mallorca and Ibiza.
The archipelago, which also consists of Menorca and Formentera off Spain’s eastern coast, has made the move in a bid to curb excessive tourism, reports the Sun.
The Balearic Islands’ government has voted to ban the sale of alcohol between 9.30pm and 8am, although drinks bought in advance of the deadline can still be consumed.
The change has been made with immediate effect, ahead of the holiday season.
It means the earliest the rule can be changed is January 1, 2028, and it will apply to Ibiza clubbing towns such as Llucmajor, Palma, Calvia (Magalluf) and Sant Antoni.
Authorities have also banned party boats from sailing within one nautical mile of any of these towns or from picking anyone up from them.
The new rules are made in addition to a 2020 curbing of happy hours, pub crawls and two-for-one drink offers.
The Palma mayor Jaime Martínez said he hopes the new laws "correct uncivil attitudes".
Anyone who flouts the ruling could be liable to pay a fine of €1,500 to €3,000 (£1,290 to £2,580).
The curbs on tourism follow protests being held in the Canary Islands - where thousands gathered in recent months to call for tighter rules to protect the residents’ home towns.
An activist group called Prou Eivissa (Enough Ibiza) is urging locals to protest on May 24 for restrictions on tourism to the popular Spanish party island.
