Javier Anadon, the owner of a number of bars in Ibiza, most notably Cafe Mambo, Cafe Savannah and Villa Mercedes in San Antonio, is presently in court fighting a charge of "crimes against the environment". The district attorney is prosecuting Anadon and his bars for repeated noise pollution over a period of 5 years 2003-2008. He is asking for a 5 year jail sentence for Mr Anadon, closure of Cafe Mambo and Savannah for 4 years, and total fines in excess of €70,000.
This issue has been brewing for over 6 years now, and Mr Anadon is aggrieved with the local councils approach in dealing with the issue. The council claims that noise from his bars is affecting the quality of life of the local residents in the area. Two Families affected in "the vicinity" are said to be claiming compensation on behalf of their young children, for the stress and sleepless nights associated with the noise pollution from Cafe Mambo and Savannah. The compensation being claimed is €10,000 for each child.
Anadon who is Basque by birth and married to a Scot, has built up from scratch, a chain of bars in Ibiza which include Cafe Savannah, Cafe Mambo and Villa Mercedes just to mention a few. His vision to reflect a more sophisticated image of Ibiza is evident in his establishments, which attract a more cultured clientele with service and quality to match. Anadon books local bands and acts to play in his bars ,supporting Spanish artists and providing a platform for them to perform on. Jazz, Traditional, Blues, Folk and soul are some of the genres that Anadons bars provide an outlet for. His son Christan, manages the properties for his family.
Villa Mercedes San Antonio
The authorities maintain that Anadon has conducted his affairs arrogantly and has refused to obey the many requests made of him to restrict the noise from his bars. The law which states that outdoor music has to stop by 12am applies to all premises on the Island, but Cafe Mambo continues to allow outdoor speakers on its terrace to play music above the permitted levels after midnight. Flaunting the law of the land is a serious matter, but why the problem was not dealt with earlier is questionable.
The whole affair has been allowed to snowball to such an extent that Anadon now faces a Jail sentence combined with the closure of his buisness for 4 years. One thing for certain, is that the proposed punishment does not match the crime. There are a lot worse offenses that deserve a jail sentence and the whole affair casts the Island in a silly light.
One wonders, why a respected local family buisness, who have contributed to the improved image of San Antonio, are being made an example of. There are most definably other underlining issues at play, both political and personal and the courts are set to rule on the matter in the near future.
