Your last chance...

[ostraco]

A little bird in the village told me that this will be the last year that the (in)famous Meltemi Dance Club will be running.
Word has it that the land it occupies has been bought out by the folks who own Alianthos, for the development of a 5 star Hotel.

Mixed reactions from me - I don't like to see too much building in the village - and certainly not spreading too far east. A furthermore, I have had so many good nights in Meltemi in my time! And I hope it won't mean too great an increase in visitor numbers.

Will this mean that we see the Hexagon back in business? That would be good.

Have you heard anything about this?

[Susan K]

I too have mixed feelings if it is true. We got totally wrecked with you last year in the Meltemi at the end of our holidayand had a brilliant time even though we had very sore heads the next day. I really don't fancy the idea of a new large Hotel either. It could take several years to build, may be noisy and will certainly be a blot on the landscape. How sad.  

  Susan

[ostraco]

Right Susan - as I've got older, I've not been to Meltemi so much, but it is certainly the place to go to finish the night in style  
I'll remember that night (well bits of it) for a long time.

As for the length of time it will take - I'm sure we've all commented on Greek builders and their methods in our time. Having seen some of the new developments on the north coast, I guess it will be a great place when it's done.

My main worry is that it doesn't dominate Plakias in Happimag style. (Or whatever that grotty place at Damnoni is called)

[simon]

 Unfortunately that's the way of the world.  10 years from now the whole of Plakias beach could very well be overlooked by big hotels catering to hoards of package tourists.  I hope not but the best places inevitably come under the most pressure by developers and most often that which people travelled there for in the first place is destroyed.  What can you do ? We all want to discover somewhere special !
I just hope some places are preserved. For example if Plakias is developed alot more then at least keep development away from Souda Bay.  But it's up to the local population to decide. I hope they avoid the mistakes made in so many other places.

[Greecemad]

Before I first went to Plakias in 1990 I saw the photograph of the beach and wondered whether it was actually like that or whether large hotels had been developed all along the beach, so I am surprised that this hasn't happened before. I don't know why they need the land that Meltemi is on, though - isn't there plenty of other empty space still?

I will be sorry to  see Meltemi close as I too have spent some enjoybale nights in there but I am sure that in somewhere like Plakias something will replace it and if there's a big new hotel it's even more likely to be replaced.

I can remember dancing in the Hexagon Club many years ago. Every year the DJ was in a different place. Then it got turned into a Greek Dancing Club. Last year I went back to Plakias after a 5-year gap and can't remember what sort of place it was then. What has happened to it?

[ostraco]

Simon, it was nearly 20 years ago I first went to Plakias. We said then how small it was. We were worried about returning the second year - thought it might have grown too much. It didn't.  Yes, there have been a few changes over the years, but it has been a very gradual process, and Plakias has never lost it's character. I hope it stays that way: but for the first time in a few years I am worried. I just hope that any large development won't swamp the village.

Greecemad - I've also enjoyed many nights in Meltemi, and will certainly have a few more next week! It's funny how the rate of development on land past Meltemi is slow, to me that unspoilt area adds a lot to the bay, and I hope it never reaches the stage of being developed from one end to the other.
The Hexagon is a real oddity. It has had some good years, some bad. Last year, it remained closed, which is a shame. It was certainly at it's best when Manolis who now runs the Meltemi bar was running it. I'll be most interested to see what happens this year - will it start to replace Meltemi? Who will run it?

[alison]

 Hello we have just returned from Plakias and there did seem to be some kind of land clearing in operation around the Meltemi.
Dont know why the Alianthos needs to expand it is good where it is. Out of the way and fairly inconspicuos.It's one of the things I tell everyone about how the coastline is unspoilt and that there are no high rise Hotels.
Let the lager louts goto Malia and leave the lovely Plakias alone!!!!
John, while your in Plakias remember my family to Vasil, he's the waiter in The Gorgona (not far to go from Ostracos!). He was very friendly and our little boy thought he was wonderful ...
Alison,Paul and Little Luke.

[RobM.]

I'm going this Tuesday. I like to go to the less lively/packed/developed places, Naxos being my favourite so far. For those of us who like to go beaching au naturel    this could  become another no-go area if the volume of package 'darlings'  increases.   It would mean a lost visitor (me) should this be the case. A previous post said 'Send the lager louts to Malia' - I assume that's where they go to  and they can stay there   .  Don't get me wrong, I like the odd Amstel but let's not have disco's pumping out dross at 130dB and people vomiting in the street (like some places).  

 Off soap-box now.

 Rob (with the Flag!).

[ostraco]

It looks as if we'll have to keep our eye on this new development!
I have a similar view to you Alison - but I guess everyone needs to make a living.  My worry is about the whole character of the Bay being spoilt - we don't want another Happimag on our doorstep!

Rob - leaving for Plakias on Tuesday too. I'll be looking for your flag!

[philj]

The fact that Plakias is relatively underdeveloped while still offering a great range of places to stay, places to eat and drink is the attraction for many visitors. It will be sad if larger developments make their way around the bay and spoil the 'untouched' air of the town.

However, I do feel that we (quite justifiably) want to pull up the drawbridge around Plakias. There is a thin dividing line between enough development to allow visitors to experience the charm of a small resort and too much development that obliterates that very charm. Also, I wonder how the local business owners would feel about further development. Would they welcome more visitors with their Euros or would they want to restrict development in order to keep their more regular visitors coming back time after time?
--

Last day at work before flying out tomorrow night. Can’t believe it is eleven months since we were last in Plakias. Looking forward to a relaxing week of good food and drink. Might bump into one or two of you out there?

[Karen T]

The locals all seem to be of the opinion that the 5 star development on the site of the Meltemi is a definite but again no one seems to be sure of the facts.  On our visits to Plakias down the years and again this year we have been pleasantly surprised over the relatively little amount of development along the stretch of road from the Meltemi along to Paligremnos Taverna.  Let's hope that this area isn't trashed as Damnoni has been by Hapimag.

On the subject of Hapimag though, the development does seem to be growing into its environment a bit more.  The extensive growth of the vegetation and landscaping have softened the edges although the bay will never be as beautiful as it was in its wild state.  Hapimag also seems to have had further impact on the tavernas at Damnoni.  Taverna Akti, in particular, has gone very much more upmarket and though we miss its local feel of old, the food remains excellent (try the Pork Chop Akti!).  I suppose that although us visitors might be nostalgic for how it was, for the locals Hapimag has probably brought about a boom period.  Akti has benefitted from increased custom enabling it to undergo a complete refurbishment.  The three brothers, Manolis, Giorgos and Thanasis, are now working elsewhere (Kri-Kri in town) but we heard from our friend Jeannie that Akti had been passed on to their sister's son who appears to be making a really good job of it.

Karen