British bobbies brought in to patrol popular Balearic nightspots

The trial is being funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with the aim to give guidance and reassurance to holidaymakers.

A new trial involving UK police has been rolled out in some of the Balearic Islands’ most popular nightspots in an attempt to remind British revellers to respect local laws.

The infamously hedonistic resorts of Magaluf, on Majorca, and many parts of Ibiza are a magnet for hedonism-seeking young Brits every summer, and while the majority are simply seeking a bit of fun in the sun, the bad behaviour of a sizeable minority has prompted Spanish police to call on the help of the British bobby…

The trial project will begin with just two British policemen – dressed in their identifiable West Midlands Police uniforms – patrolling the streets of Magaluf before hopping over to Ibiza’s famous San Antonio resort.

Their aim will be simple: to gently remind Brits behaving badly that they are in another country and should therefore respect the local culture. Previous trials have already been carried out with French, German and Italian police, but this is the first time that Spanish and UK forces have operated so closely.

The British ambassador to Spain, Simon Manley, said that the presence of UK police officers will serve as a welcome and timely reminder to British holidaymakers that they should remember to be on their best behaviour.

“The police officers’ presence will ensure that everyone has a safe and enjoyable holiday, free from trouble and crime.”

The National Police Chiefs’ Council Lead on International Policing, Chief Constable Andy Marsh, added that the project will help strengthen ties between the two police forces, and should ensure greater cooperation and understanding between Spanish police and Brits on holiday in the future, while also acting as a reassuring presence to UK holidaymakers while abroad.

The trial is being funded by the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office, and will see the two officers patrol not just nightlife hotspots but anywhere that British tourists gather in large numbers, including airport terminals, beaches and town centres.

Both Magaluf and San Antonio have had problems handling the behaviour of foreign tourists in recent years, as has Benidorm. In contrast, the Costa del Sol’s most popular resorts – Fuengirola, Benalmádena and Marbella – have tended to attract a different type of holidaymaker, largely families seeking a relaxing break and young groups of friends intent on enjoying the glitz and glamour of Puerto Banús rather than the drinking games and 2-4-1 offers so beloved of some of Spain’s more infamous resorts.