PALMA on the island of Majorca has officially banned happy hours and two for one offers in a bid to stamp out drunken tourism.
Brits who flout the tough new rules, which include no drinking in the street or on the beach, will be fined up to 3,000 euros if caught.
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The crackdown in Majorca began on Monday and will continue until September 30 when the main tourist season comes to a close.
The ban on unruly behaviour affects Cala Major, Palma centre, the seafront promenade, the main square (Plaza de Gomila) and Playa de Palma.
The local council has designated the five areas as “zones of special tourist interest”, which will now be controlled by orders known as “civic use of public spaces”.
Police officers will be out on patrol during the day and night to inform nightclubs, bars and shops about the restrictions.
At first, there will be a temporary freeze on fines because of the information campaign, but they will be handed out with effect from May.
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In the five zones, the encouragement of alcohol consumption will not be allowed, which means a ban on happy hours or two for one offers in all venues.
Advertising of drinking competitions or excursions will also be vetoed.
There will be special attention on Playa de Palma, where promotion reps will not be allowed to hand out leaflets, although they will be able to tell holidaymakers verbally.
It is hoped this will help to cut out discarded paper, which tourism chiefs felt was adding to the resort’s bad image.
Restrictions also come into force in beer gardens, which will have to be fenced off.
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Customers will only be able to drink and eat within the fenced off area.
In other areas, tipsy holidaymakers will not be able to eat food on their way back to their accommodation between the hours of 5am and 8am.
Security councillor Angélica Pastor said the information campaign about the new rules would run throughout April and added: “There will be an increase in the number of agents who control the compliance of the ordinances as tourists numbers increase.”
There will also be a “prudential time” for the entertainment venues to adapt to the new regulations.
In all five areas, the display of alcohol products and their advertising is prohibited both inside the premises and on their terraces or facades, as well as in the public space, when they may be visible from the outside.
Locally, residents say they will be interested to see just how much the measures are implemented because of local election looming in May.
Majorca has threatened to crack down on beer gardens before in bid to reduce drunken behaviour from tourists.
And earlier this year, tourism chiefs have pledged to have extra police officers to patrol the street.
Sun Online Travel previously reported how Ibiza was another Spanish island that was attempting to crack down on drunken tourism.
