If you were contemplating wearing a skimpy dress or spending hours at the hairdresser's in preparation for celebrating New Year's Eve tonight, you'd better have another think - the Meteorological Office is forecasting strong winds, the possibility of showers and cooler weather for this evening and for the early hours of 2003.

Day temperatures are expected to hover around 15°C, going down to 11°C during the night, a spokesman for the Met Office said.

Strong north-westerly winds are expected, rising to about force 7 - nearly gale force - tomorrow, with the possibility of isolated thundery showers tonight.

So how and where are the Maltese planning to pop their champagne bottles at the stroke of midnight?

Contrary to tradition in many other countries, the Maltese do not throng to some large public square to usher in the new year. They instead resort to bars, restaurants, rented apartments... and Paceville, of course.

Philip Fenech, the GRTU's hospitality and leisure division president, expects business to boom on what is widely regarded as the biggest money-raker of the year.

"From our contacts it looks like business will definitely be better than on Christmas Eve and healthier than last year," Mr Fenech said.

He said the feeling among the business community was that there were more tourists than last year, which was a blessing considering that the industry was until recently still reeling in the backlash of the September 11, 2001 attacks.

In fact, a recent telephone survey conducted by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association among members showed that occupancy levels in hotels this month were higher than those for the same month last year.

Demand for dinners is high this year, with restaurants contacted yesterday reporting healthy bookings.

But the bubble has burst for some restaurant owners who admitted that drawing customers was becoming ever more difficult in these days of rising competition.

Some bars have opted to hold their own private parties, charging an entrance fee for an open bar and finger food.

There is also a rising trend for people to opt staying at home on New Year's Eve in order to celebrate with friends or family, according to one outside caterer who yesterday said he had been inundated with orders.

Many revellers lamented that some party organisers had capitalised on the millennium celebrations in 2000 and pushed attendance prices up. And the prices have not climbed down since...

Social patterns vary according to age and many, especially the young, agree that nothing beats the atmosphere of a big party.

Three of the largest parties this year are taking place at the Eden Ice Arena, in St Julian's, TGIF, in Sliema and Gianpula, in Rabat.

Others are likely to opt for bar-hopping, especially bars that do not charge any entrance fee.

The competition is becoming fiercer - in Paceville alone six new relatively large entertainment places opened in 2002, Mr Fenech said.

"But at least for New Year's Eve, there is a feel good factor."

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