Legal action against outdoor restaurants

Only half of the establishments offering dining outdoors are licensed, according to the government.

While 93 of these restaurants have a licence, the applications of another 71 are being processed and legal action is expected to be taken against 33 which have not bothered to apply.

Workers from the Works Division's Manufacturing and Services Department, under the supervision of the Lands Department, have started putting road markings indicating where restaurants can place their tables and chairs in public places.

This is being done after officials from the Malta Tourism Authority's Enforcement Directorate identified all the establishments that provide dining on public land.

Of the 197 that do, 70 are in the centre of the island, including Valletta, Sliema and St Julian's; 58 are in the north, including Qawra, Bugibba and St Paul's Bay; 33 are in Gozo, and 36 in the south, including Marsascala, Marsaxlokk and Birzebbuga.