Plans for a “NEW” San Antonio

[CasaNegron]

gradually over the last few years, with the factors of cheaper croatia festivals and more expensive ibiza accommodation having a big impact on it. see, ibiza was never a cheap place. but the very low budget crowd (normally the youngest peeps coming here) has simply been priced out lately. people have realised that though and generally it's gonna be interesting to watch what happens this summer.

Six years since last stay, will be interesting to see the change... half of my evening entertainment in SanAn was walking between Es Paradis and Wips at about 3am. It was always full of 18-20s...

Kids typically so bad off by that point in the night, my wife and I nicknamed it... "Trail of Tears"

 

[Digital2013]

About when did this trend become noticeable? Would be interesting to compare impressions with last trip.

Been going to Ibiza since 2012 and the 'minimum age' has gradually crept up and its particularly noticable on the West End.

Before you would see groups of 18-21 year olds now i'd say most are 25+

Its become so expensive now that it's pretty much impossible for anyone on minimum wage (which the 18-21 age group often are) to realistically even save up for Ibiza.

Its not particularly an issue if they keep coming at age 25+ when they can afford it. But if they never get the Ibiza 'bug' and don't bother then the average age goes up and the island risks going a bit stale.

 

[Kim Wrong Un]

fewer kids = fewer yobs = fewer football tops = fewer headaches for locals/cops/air passengers = more cash for local economy from more affluent/respectable visitors = fewer whores/thieves = less tat = less seediness. Maybe it will eventually mean a rejuvenated economy based on artisan stores, food trucks, more culture, more global visitors and cooler bars/eats. Harnessed right, then perhaps the West End could stop being the West End and start being a grown up resort for 30s-50s. What's not to like? I think the whole gateway argument is anachronistic anyway. there's a million ways people get into serious dance music now because the whole scene has diversified around the world. You don't have to go through some puke-filled initiation ceremony to get there...

 

[likeathiefinthenight]

fewer kids = fewer yobs = fewer football tops = fewer headaches for locals/cops/air passengers = more cash for local economy from more affluent/respectable visitors = fewer whores/thieves = less tat = less seediness. Maybe it will eventually mean a rejuvenated economy based on artisan stores, food trucks, more culture, more global visitors and cooler bars/eats. Harnessed right, then perhaps the West End could stop being the West End and start being a grown up resort for 30s-50s. What's not to like? I think the whole gateway argument is anachronistic anyway. there's a million ways people get into serious dance music now because the whole scene has diversified around the world. You don't have to go through some puke-filled initiation ceremony to get there...

Artisan stores and food trucks? I've heard it all now.

Leave the Westend as it is, the people who start off in the Westend are those who slowly (not all of them granted) find their way into exploring the island.

 

[Kim Wrong Un]

no - it is passe and naff in 2018. Mass tourism overrunning spanish resorts is uncool, so it is time for more intelligent thinking about what kind of tourism Spain attracts. I live in BCN and have seen first hand how shit mass tourism has f**ked over the city centre. I think Ibiza as a whole would be happier without the shit tourists it attracts, and would prefer more upmarket, independent travellers, because old school predominantly English bar crawl holidays are to my mind dinosaurs from the past. sorry I know that will wind a few people up on here but that is the truth.... I don't really care if some 18 year old has an epiphany. have it at center parcs instead. it isn't a rite of passage enshrined in stone. I hope the Consell does clean up and that kids do get priced out. it's a good thing! so some shitty clubs might take a hit. boo-hoo... I think it would be a good thing for SA in general. Remove the lingering stigma once and for all.

 

[McRackin]

Stopping all-inclusive in the hotel industry is essential for ending trash tourism as well as regenerating a neighbourhood like the West End

old school predominantly English bar crawl holidays are to my mind dinosaurs from the past.

 

[Vinyldreams]

This is horrible. I imagine putting all the drunk people out in the street at 3am before they want to go home will only lead to fighting and violence. Isn’t this what we’ve been seeing in UK high streets at weekends for years?

There is 2 empty nightclubs 5 mins walk from the west end

Years ago you would crack on around 9 on the west end ,
Now people start 12/1am

They will start drinking earlier
Then go to Eden or Es

This is not all bad

 

[Digital2013]

There is 2 empty nightclubs 5 mins walk from the west end

Years ago you would crack on around 9 on the west end ,
Now people start 12/1am

They will start drinking earlier
Then go to Eden or Es

This is not all bad

Think you could be right with that. Eden and Es Paradis should consider free entry on nights where they have unknown acts on though. That pretence of charging 20-30euro entry must put some off. They'd easily make the money back at the bar if they are the only 6am finish places in San An.

 

[Vinyldreams]

Think you could be right with that. Eden and Es Paradis should consider free entry on nights where they have unknown acts on though. That pretence of charging 20-30euro entry must put some off. They'd easily make the money back at the bar if they are the only 6am finish places in San An.

Have you seen the line ups the last 10 years ??

The only weekend es paradise will be busy will be clockwork.

15/20 e in every night ,

I hope it picks up for them .

Eden can build on what they have with defected .

If you are on a budget it’s a cheap night .

The clubs need to fill up cos last year to many shit night with shit crowds

 

[Thomas Cliche]

no - it is passe and naff in 2018. Mass tourism overrunning spanish resorts is uncool, so it is time for more intelligent thinking about what kind of tourism Spain attracts. I live in BCN and have seen first hand how shit mass tourism has f**ked over the city centre. I think Ibiza as a whole would be happier without the shit tourists it attracts, and would prefer more upmarket, independent travellers, because old school predominantly English bar crawl holidays are to my mind dinosaurs from the past. sorry I know that will wind a few people up on here but that is the truth.... I don't really care if some 18 year old has an epiphany. have it at center parcs instead. it isn't a rite of passage enshrined in stone. I hope the Consell does clean up and that kids do get priced out. it's a good thing! so some shitty clubs might take a hit. boo-hoo... I think it would be a good thing for SA in general. Remove the lingering stigma once and for all.

I understand your point, but you are going too far body. Ibiza need youngsters.

Fresh blood always bring new ideas, new styles, new music tastes and new ways to party that will define how Ibiza changes for every generation. Without youngsters, Ibiza will quickly become a tacky destination.

You think Ibiza pionners from the 70s, 80s or 90s would agree on the way you party?

 

[Kim Wrong Un]

I understand your point, but you are going too far body. Ibiza need youngsters.

Fresh blood always bring new ideas, new styles, new music tastes and new ways to party that will define how Ibiza changes for every generation. Without youngsters, Ibiza will quickly become a tacky destination.

You think Ibiza pionners from the 70s, 80s or 90s would agree on the way you party?

it sounds like you and certain others want to preserve the west end in some time capsule, whereas I say it has had its day. if that district goes upmarket and becomes less English, then I'm 100% in favour. I know people have been arguing about this for decades. it always turns into a heated 'yobs v snobs' debate, but I think the world has moved on. market economics as much as changing trends. so SA is going to reinvent itself to pitch to a different demographic, then it does make sense.

 

[CasaNegron]

it sounds like you and certain others want to preserve the west end in some time capsule, whereas I say it has had its day. if that district goes upmarket and becomes less English, then I'm 100% in favour. I know people have been arguing about this for decades. it always turns into a heated 'yobs v snobs' debate, but I think the world has moved on. market economics as much as changing trends. so SA is going to reinvent itself to pitch to a different demographic, then it does make sense.

I think we all want to preserve the things we like, unfortunately everyone has a different idea of what that is. For some, the gentrification of WE is welcome. Like anything there are secondary effects to any change. Making the whole of the island more upmarket will kill some of the underground music/ culture that you value so highly. The result is more food trucks and craft breweries, but also more EDM, Ocean Beaches, VIP culture and... Paris Hilton(s).

You have to take the good with the bad. Places like Ibiza are never truly sustainable.

I personally think the youth (both yobs and snobs) are what made the island so special. They are the key to keeping the island fresh for everyone else. Without them, the place could be any other expensive resort in the Med, Caribbean or South Pacific.

That said, it is always a balance. As others have pointed out above, it appears that you are getting your wish. We seem to be getting more 25+ (with money). What happens when it becomes 30+, 40+?

We will see how it plays out.

I have never been to the french Riviera, but I can imagine... probably still a good time, but very different from the Ibiza I fell for in 2003.

 

[djedwardsmith]

Or, it goes too far the other way and the West End is replaced with garbage like Ocean Beach and rather than the youngsters who come over and get rat-arsed and find their way around the island, they come to spray champagne with d list celebrities. And once that novelty wears off, what's left for Ibiza's tourist industry on a large scale?

I agree with the premise that the West End needs to change, I just don't think it needs to go as far as Kim suggests.

 

[CasaNegron]

I dont think anyone knows where the island is heading, an nobody's in control of the bus. A real clusterfcuk within a circle-jerk. Fun to speculate though...

I say we all just enjoy the ride.

 

[Padster]

It worries me on several fronts. Whilst the town council is running down the West End there are good and honest local people who own businesses in the area, and not just bars but food outlets, shops etc who will all suffer through no fault of their own. With unemployment a real problem on the island what hope have those people got? Then, th more neglected the West End becomes, the crime rate inevitably rises and this is bad for the whole island. It only takes one person to be mugged, pick-pocketed, ripped off or whatever, to tell their mates and you already have a bunch of people who will never visit the island. If they tell their mates too and repeat after repeat and you soon have hundreds, if not thousands who will not visit the island at all simply because the consull government or San Antonio Town Council refuse to lift a finger to clean the area up. It seems to me to be a potentially disastrous attempt at social manipulation. Earlier this year they announced that there is to be huge investment in the bay (Port des Torrent, Cala de Bou etc) which is only a good thing if they sort out the massive social problems in San Antonio Town first otherwise when the West End is literally on it's arse with hardly any bars still profitable enough to run and shops and other businesses are struggling or closed what do they think the drug dealers, minging prossies, looky men, pick-pockets muggers and other assorted scumbags are going to do? They'll look across at the newly re-vamped bay area with it's plush new apartments and comfortably off new residents and think "Rich pickings!". I can almost hear them rubbing their hands together with glee all the way back here in Dorset.

 

[ibizainside]

I think the hookers, dealers and robbers are all attracted to that area because of the type of holiday maker that is there, young/drunk/drugged and with wads of money in their pockets, so they are an easy rob or are customers that are likley to buy drugs or go with a hooker, with the more expensive area of the bay, this attracts an older crowd, more mature, so are less likley going to want to but street drugs from a looky looky, or sex from one of the rough looking hookers, and also possibly be less off their head so be more aware of robbers. The area is what it is, and without it I think the negative side it attracts would almost disappear.

Look what happened to New York in the early 90's, Times Square was almost a no go area, full of dealers and hookers, and crime was high, the mayor decided enough was enough and to clean up the city, more police, close down the strip clubs and porno cinemas and make it more Disney'fid, now you have a fairly safe tourist attraction, the same should really happen to the west end, yep keep the bars and clubs, but it could be made a lot safer if it was properly policed.

I remember a documentary about the west end a few years ago, which was saying the police really struggled, so they fitted a cctv camera which wouldn't turn left or right, then eventually packed up haha, that was the level of policing protection they were prepared to invest in the place!

 

[Padster]

I think the hookers, dealers and robbers are all attracted to that area because of the type of holiday maker that is there, young/drunk/drugged and with wads of money in their pockets, so they are an easy rob or are customers that are likley to buy drugs or go with a hooker, with the more expensive area of the bay, this attracts an older crowd, more mature, so are less likley going to want to but street drugs from a looky looky, or sex from one of the rough looking hookers, and also possibly be less off their head so be more aware of robbers. The area is what it is, and without it I think the negative side it attracts would almost disappear.

You may well be right (or I might be, we'll have to wait and see). However, I think that once the number of potential 'targets' reaches below what the scum may consider a viable level they will look for fresh pastures and across the bay they won't have to move too far and whilst it's likely that there may be a reduction in looky men and hookers I think there might be a spike in burglaries and violent crime (muggings and robberies with violence) especially if the area isn't policed properly. I sincerely hope I'm wrong but I'm not feeling too optimistic about it at the moment.

 

[claretclubber]

I remember a documentary about the west end a few years ago, which was saying the police really struggled, so they fitted a cctv camera which wouldn't turn left or right, then eventually packed up haha, that was the level of policing protection they were prepared to invest in the place!

Also ran through the internet which was patchy at best!

 

[CasaNegron]

You may well be right (or I might be, we'll have to wait and see). However, I think that once the number of potential 'targets' reaches below what the scum may consider a viable level they will look for fresh pastures and across the bay they won't have to move too far and whilst it's likely that there may be a reduction in looky men and hookers I think there might be a spike in burglaries and violent crime (muggings and robberies with violence) especially if the area isn't policed properly. I sincerely hope I'm wrong but I'm not feeling too optimistic about it at the moment.

You may be right, or he may be right... however there may be a volcanic eruption in Iceland starting August 15 that shuts down airline traffic, forcing all transport to the island to revert to ferry. In the time that it takes to evacuate one million fighted tourists and locals, food supplies will begin to run low, causing some to take more drastic measures. University girls and their mothers will begin turning tricks for cans of beans, and bic lighters will become the official currency. The looky-lookys will be forced to eat their stocks marijuana for nourishment. Gangs of Vespa riding Italians will charge a toll for passage to PDB... anyone not willing to pay will be relived of their "guzzaline".

Man, you guys are getting dark.... I like it!

 

[McRackin]

Earlier this year they announced that there is to be huge investment in the bay (Port des Torrent, Cala de Bou etc) which is only a good thing if they sort out the massive social problems in San Antonio Town first

- the hotel upgrades in the bay, around town and also in the town are privately financed
- the paseo extension (which benefits san jose and san an) will be financed by the balearic government with the proceeds of the ecotax
- the san antonio town problems will have to be sorted with public money

so we'll see all these evolve at very different rhythms...