Sliema businesses ordered to remove excess street furniture
Establishments along the Strand and Tigné seafront in Sliema were yesterday all served with a formal notice by the Lands Department giving them 15 days to remove any excess street furniture from public areas and abide by their encroachment permits, The Times has learnt.
If the notice is not adhered to, the department will revoke the permits.
The establishments which have to comply with this notice include restaurants, cafés, souvenir shops and other outlets that put out tables, chairs, canopies and merchandise stands on pavements.
The Malta Tourism Authority's (MTA) director of quality assurance, Frank Farrugia said when contacted that the authority had received various complaints from Sliema residents and passers-by regarding the obstruction of passageways by tables and chairs.
The Times has carried several letters of protest by readers about this matter.
The move comes after representatives from the MTA, the Lands Department, the Malta Environment and Planning Authority and the Sliema local council had met on April 28 and again on May 19 to set down the best way forward.
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In Discussion
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Amanda Mallia
May 28th 2008, 17:56
Good move. Now how about giving St John's Square in Valletta the same treatment? If not for practicality's sake, then at least to make the square look less overcrowded with tables, chairs, canopies and whatnot.
(Ridding City Gate of all the vendors - market stalls selling bread, shoes and all sorts of things - whilst in the process, would also make the entrance to the city look a little less horrendous.)
anthony borg
May 28th 2008, 14:36
Why only Sliema?
M.Grech
May 28th 2008, 14:21
I'm sure that many would appreciate if this is also applied to St.Paul's Bay/Bugibba/Qawra area, even so that most pavements in this area are much narrower and leaves no space for pedestrians to walk on.
David Busuttil
May 28th 2008, 12:48
Why not b4 March?
M. Debono
May 28th 2008, 12:22
IMHO, Sliema requires a serious re-generation plan to make it to an attractive zone for tourists and locals to mingle, spend money and enjoy high quality environment.
The area, starting from Midi project (facing Valletta) up to Gzira is crying for a new facelift, which will surely bring more repeat business in the area. See the Sliema to St. Julians promenade, as an example. It is packed with people. Restaurants including also small kiosks are all doing well. How come we cannot extend this promenade all the way up to Gzira? possibly even extending it to Ta' Xbiex/Msida area, if one takes it seriously!?
Removing the tables/chairs will not help much, although, i agree that any abuse should be curbed. However, to be honest, i think these outlets, "in their own way", are doing their best to enhance the area by investing in quality furniture and make the zone an attraction. All we need to do is regularlise the whole area and extend the "idea" further to cover Sliema-Gzira promenade.
I think LC had a plan to develop the area, but it was shot down from all corners, until MLPN came out with their "creative" plans for the harbour area.
L Galea
May 28th 2008, 10:56
Pavements are for people to walk on not for shops to use as their property.
All permits should be revoked because this is a situation where by paying a certain amount of money to the government shopkeepers are allowed to trample on pedestrians rights.
What if someone who had an accident because s/he could not use the pavement due to an obstruction by a shopkeeper were to sue the government and the shopkeeper for pavement obstruction?
In days goen by you would be told off by a policeman if you were found sitting on a chair on the pavement in front of your house because you were considered to be obstructing the pavement even though it was wide enough.
But as the Maltese saying goes, "Bil-flus taghmel triq fil-bahar".
Rina Attard
May 28th 2008, 10:39
Well done. What about the other part of the Strand between Sliema Hotel and Sacro Cuor Street?
Rita Camilleri
May 28th 2008, 09:06
An about time too !!!!
Chris Poulton
May 28th 2008, 08:37
Well done and about time too. Only when you experience trying to push a pram through while holding another child's hands (or try getting through on a wheelchair) does one realise how selfish, unfair and irresponsible the business owners have been. Have they been fined? Will they be fined? Will the fines be based on the profits earned over the past years from having x number of excessive tables? I wonder. Well done anyway.