Ibiza Nightlife Association Confident Clubs Will Open In July
Written by Dan Kirwan
Normally at this time of year in Ibiza, every promoter on the island is full on as the end of an arduous few months of hard work trying to secure their artists a residency on the island. Clubs are busy signing contracts and hiring staff, the hotels are awakening to welcome thousands of party guests as the Opening Parties herald the start of a brand new summer season. However for the second year in a row, an eerie silence hangs in the air. Earlier this week, I was talking to one well known Ibiza promoter, normally up to his neck in work at this time of the year handling some big name portfolios and I asked him if there was much happening, his reply was “the only thing stirring right now is my coffee in the mornings. “
However, Breaking news today confirms that the Nightlife Lobby Association backed by the Matutes Group and other well know island brands, has requested from the Balearic Government that they be permitted to organise a Pilot Test event, similar to the one held in Liverpool last weekend. It has requested to hold a test event to de-escalate the ban on clubs, which they hope can happen between June 15 and 30 at a venue yet to be decided. If the pilot scheme is a success the association has stated it wants to reopen nightclubs from July 1, a tall order in my book but hey this is Ibiza, a magical island where anything can happen.
We wrote last Sunday that the chances of indoor clubs opening this summer in their traditional format were slim and while this announcement today is a positive one, it’s only a kite flying exercise in my opinion and a political one at that. No sooner was the announcement published by the pro business friendly Diario de Ibiza newspaper, a Judge on the same day was giving extra power to local Government to keep its curfew in place after Spanish PM Pedro Sanchez stands down his State Of Alarm on Sunday. This curfew has to be lifted before any clubs can open at night and its Palma not Ibiza or Madrid that determines that law.
The bad news for Ibiza clubbing is that they are offside with Palma and fighting an uphill battle against the socialists to re-open the clubs. If the PP were in power, then it would be a different story that I would be writing today. So instead of walking the red velvet carpet inside the corridors of power, they have had to wait at the back of the Q while the socialists decide what they are going to do with the season. The socialists are playing a political game appealing to a growing electorate on the island that wants to reduce mass tourism and launch Ibiza on a new tourism direction that is insular, reflective of local culture and activity based.
As with all things in Ibiza, nothing is quite like what it seems.
The Ocia de Ibiza Nightlife Association which is lobbying Palma to open the clubs this summer stated “Unfortunately, the goal of opening the clubs in June, as we asked at the beginning, is increasingly difficult, but we are confident of a reopening in July ”. As with all things in Ibiza nothing is quite as it seems and while the Association repersents many other well known Ibiza brands, it is backed by the powerful Hotel Groups, who have been quite effective at inflicting tighter regulations on the private villa rental sector which they see as their major competitor.
So while they are entitled to ask for direction with regard to opening up the indoor clubs in Ibiza, it’s not going to be a runner in my book, as the socialists double down on their new vision for the island, (see below video) which does not involve the clubs in their present format.
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