As predicted the politics of opening the old Heaven Club in Ibiza, has raised its ugly head once again. Since the club was closed in 2007, it might as well of had a "Do Not Enter" hazardous waste sign erected outside its door, such was the toxicity of the politics that surrounded it. It was always going to be a case of timing as to when the first objection to its reopening would arise. Today it was reported in the Diario De Ibiza newspaper that the opposition party in Government, the PSOE-Pacte, are to put down a motion to ask the pro business Government led by Partito Popular (PP) for full details on the granting of a licence to the club which they claim is not authorised to open under terms of the General Urban Plan, which previously restricted the opening of any new club in the area.
Its the first public sign that some people are not happy with the Club reopening. Its close neighbour Pacha, owned by respected businessman, Ricardo Urgell, has been the predominant Club in that area for decades. When Pacha was first opened it was located in an old finca with very little around it. In recent years, urbanisation developed in the area and many residential properties were built. While happy to put up with one Club, (as it was there before they arrived) local residents were not so pleased that a second was to open. When a green friendly, socialist Government came into power a number of years ago, they introduced new noise pollution laws and restricted the activity of the clubbing industry. La Bomba was one of the Clubs they decreed should not open again, because of its close proximity to residential properties. In fact, there is an apartment complex right next door to La Bomba.
The real question perhaps is whether the motion put down by the opposition, is just politicians playing opportunistic politics, or is it pressure coming from another group. The new owners of La Bomba would have been well aware of the politics involved in reopening the Club. With a pro-business and clubber friendly Government in power they felt the time was right to request permission to open and this was granted by the local council. They decided that the General Urban Plan was not contravened by the granting of a licence to open, because technically it was not a new club - it was there (since the 80's) before the restrictive licencing laws came into force. It will be the size of the refurbishment works that will be scrutinised closely. With local Government support, its unlikely that the licence to proceed will be overturned and it may be just delaying tactics being employed. It is a sign that La Bomba will have some people not happy with its presence and that the first shots have been fired in a commercial war between powerful interests on the Island.
.jpg)