Mike Thomas, St Paul's Bay
End to cafe culture
It was with great bemusement that we helped a local bar owner pack up his seats and tables outside his premises and hide them away last Friday week.
All this because government inspectors were about to 'swoop' on his establishment to enforce pavement encroachment permits. As a frequent visitor to Malta for the past 11 years, I can recall that the pavement was extended to allow more people to sit outside after a smoking ban was introduced. In all the incidents that I have observed, the seating was in the extended portion or the pavement as defined by the original kerbstones, and not obstructing the pedestrian walkway.
After many conversations with fellow British visitors and other foreign tourists, most of us assume that the Maltese authorities are at best incompetent, or at worst trying to restrict the 'cafe culture' that we enjoy to deter us from coming.
8 Comments
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Alfred Felice
Oct 6th 2008, 10:21
Is Mr. Thomas going to give some sort of a response after all the adverse comments received to his letter. I travel three to four times a year for pleasure and it never occurs to me to comment publicly on trivial incidents which occur especially if I am not totally conversant with the cointry's laws or local problems. To me Mr. Thomas' letter seems as unnecessay, after reading all the well put and polite comments of the local Maltese residents. I was always told "when in Rome do as the Romans do" especially as this incident was not a case of descrimination, aparthed, cruelty, contrary to Human Rights etc.
Simon McDowell
Oct 6th 2008, 09:30
Not much cafe culture in England, the bars make you so uncomfortable that you wouldn't stay anyway. The only place you can go for a chat with your friends is a pub and if you don get drunk by the end of the evening you are considered odd.
DENIS BARTOLO
Oct 5th 2008, 19:46
Well Mr. Thomas,
You certainly did not have to be amused should the cafe owner have had a permit for the right amount of tables and chairs on the pavement.
However it seems from the cafe owners actions , none of both were in order.
Yes we do as a nation love a cafe culture and love to hear that you do too.
On the other hand we all would like to have a clear way of passage and enjoy our walk along the promenade.
I am sure you will find another cafe which is within the law and enjoy your chat and coffee.
We as a nation look upon you as a source of wellcomed visitor and us too enjoying our clear passage and walks and coffees.
I sincerely trust this lawfull control and inspection will not reflect so bad on our country and will by no means loose you as a visitor to my homeland.
It is in no way meant to be so and I do trust you and your friends do return to Malta as I and all of us sincerely well come you.
Enjoy your coffee Mr.Thomas
l Galea
Oct 5th 2008, 18:06
@Mike Thomas
You are an accomplice in breaking the law.
Charles DeMicoli
Oct 5th 2008, 18:03
Another patronizing, veiled 'threat' by a British tourist.
O. Sant' Angelo
Oct 5th 2008, 14:04
You helped the bar owner 'hide away' seats and tables? Doesn't that makes you an accomplice?
Liam Kelly
Oct 5th 2008, 12:26
A pavement is for walking on as far as i'm concerned.
Ask yourself if you would be so supportive if a cafe opened in your town in the UK and someone placed excessive amounts of tables and chairs outside your home, which you then had to navigate around or be forced to walk on the roads (which are really safe aren't they?) just to get out or into your house?
Although you are on holiday Mr. Thomas, please remember the fact that there are 400,000 in Malta who are not on holiday and still require to use the pavements.
Oh, and in case you didnt already notice....no one obays the smoking ban on this island!
jim towers
Oct 5th 2008, 10:47
No, if the bar owner pays for his permit to have X amount of seating then he will probably get x amount of seating.
If he does not then he quite simply earns more money.