Retain the café 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 a few days ago. All this because government inspectors were about to "swoop down" to enforce pavement encroachment permits.

As a frequent visitor to Malta, 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 of the pavement as defined by the original kerb stones and not obstructing the pedestrian walkway. After several conversations with my fellow countrymen and other foreign nationals, most of us assume that the Maltese authorities are, at best, incompetent or, at worse, trying to restrict this "café culture" that we enjoy, to deter us from coming!