Inspectors remove illegal street furniture in Marsascala

Inspectors from the Department of Land swooped on Marsascala today, removing street furniture put up by bars and other outlets without official permits.

The owners of the outlets had been given two days' notice to observe their encroachment permit conditions.

A spokesman for the Parliamentary Secretariat in charge of Lands said that those who were not in order had their street furniture removed and encroachment permit revoked. A fee of €1,000 will be charged when they re-apply.

He said that outlets were previously given 15 days notice instead of 48 hours but the department found that this had not been having the desired effect.

The spokesman said that the department was not trying to make life difficult, but abuses had been such that in some cases, walkways were completely blocked by tables and chairs. There had to be a balance between the service these outlets gave and the standard of living in the locality.

Such enforcement action has already been carried out in Sliema, Xlendi and Marsalforn and will continue the spokesman said.