Binibeca Menorca: Streets in holiday hotspot Binibeca Vell chained up and cordoned off to holidaymakers as locals fed up of tourists

Streets in a popular holiday hotspot in Spain have been chained up and blocked off from holidaymakers in a bid to stop tourists from visiting at night. Furious locals in Binibeca Vell on Menorca's southern coast have cordoned off entrances to the idyllic village.

The hotspot is dubbed "Spanish Mykonos" with its white houses and is a highly popular destination with UK holidaymakers - around 800,000 tourists flock to the destination every year. The residents say that they are fed up with visitors roaming the streets of their village.

Homeowners have blocked 22 entryways to the private community with chains warning tourists to keep out at night. Visitors wishing to get in to the destination have to do so between 11am and 8pm. Locals said they have taken the measure to protect their rest times during busy periods.

One resident fumed about tourists to news website ElDiario.es in April. She said: “They went into homes, they sat on chairs, they take things, climb on our walls, they have outdoor drinking parties. If this isn’t regulated, it will happen every summer.”

The head of tourism for the Menorcan government, Begoña Mercadal, told  Eldiario.es that the village was within its right to curtail visits. She said: “We fully acknowledge that it is private property and, therefore, if they want to close it, that is their right.”

However, Monge acknowledged that the closure would affect many families in the region whose hotels, bars and souvenir shops depend on local tourism. He described the closure as a last resort. He added: “From the coast you would still be able to visit the perimeter of the village, but you wouldn’t be able to enter the interior lanes. And that’s the charming photo that everyone wants for Instagram.”

It comes after huge demonstrations swept across the Balearic Islands on Saturday (8 June) with thousands marching in Majorca and Menorca. An estimated 10,000 furious protesters swarmed the streets of Majorca to display their discontent with mass tourism.

One of the organisers, Carma Reines, told Sky News: "We want the authorities to stop people who have not lived here more than five years from buying properties and to put more controls on holiday accommodation." The Balearic Group of Ornithology and Nature Protection of Menorca (GOB Menorca) believes "tourist saturation" is to blame for "job and life insecurity", a lack of housing and "environmental issues".

The protesters demanded the Spanish government to curb the influx of visitors by sanctioning more hotels and holiday lets. A large anti-tourism protest has been planned for 21 July on all four of the Balearic Islands in Spain.