Saturday, 20th December 2008

Magic Kiosk to do vanishing act

Christian Peregin

The Magic Kiosk will get the axe, welcome news for many Slimiżi who complained for years about the eyesore created by the aluminium structure. Photo Jason Borg

Magic Kiosk, a conspicuous if controversial Sliema landmark, is set to be demolished in January after its lease expired yesterday and was not extended by the Land Department.

The tenant, Joseph Pace, is challenging the decision and asking the government to talk things over with him in order to find an amicable solution.

Mr Pace has filed a court application claiming he is being discriminated against because of his political beliefs.

He is willing to help fund a government project to turn the place into a public square as long as he is allowed to retain a small kiosk, which is being included in the government's latest plans.

But the authorities are moving ahead. The Malta Environment and Planning Authority this week approved an application to remove the sprawling turquoise aquarium-like restaurant which, along with other structures, occupies a large part of St Anne Square on the Ferries.

In July, the Land Department filed a judicial protest over the lease. The land on which the kiosk is built had been leased in two parts and the department pointed out that one of the contracts had expired in 2004 but Mr Pace had failed to evacuate the area.

This time, the government gave Mr Pace advance notice before the second contract expired.

The decision is an initiative of Resources Minister George Pullicino, who has been working on it since 2005, and Parliamentary Secretary for Land Jason Azzopardi.

The government's aim is to clear the square of the kiosk and restore it to its former glory, complementing the recent repaving of Tower Road that has embellished the area.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Sunday, November 8, 2009. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

a attard (on 21/12/08)

.....good to see it back as a little square with a fountain in the middle hopefully soon. Malta needs spaces with trees not more construction and suffocation........

chris borg (on 21/12/08)

if history repeats itself, as it seldomly does, the kiosk is being removed with the peoples approval ... But at the opportune moment when the people are distracted with other issues the square will be occupied by another monstrousity.

Michael Spiteri (on 20/12/08)

So PN governments respects monstrosities. That's a good one!

c.camilleric (on 20/12/08)

@ Michael Spiteri. The Nationalist Govt unlike Labour is one that respects past contracts. So it could not remove this monstrosity before the lease expired. Capisci

L BORG (on 20/12/08)

very wrong mr spiteri
its been open at least since the seventies

adrian sammut (on 20/12/08)

The kiosk had been in the news recently and while i was in Sliema lately i had a better look at the place. Its amazing! The guy did not leave a square inch of the square uncovered or unutilised. The edifice is even tailor constructed exactly around the old trees. TIME TO GO!!! The Jason Azzopardi army is moving in!

Michael Spiteri (on 20/12/08)

@ l borg. Why a dark side of Labour? The kiosk was opened in the mid 80's. Two years later your dear EFA took over the country. Since then almost 22 years has passed of PN governments. And Mr. blue eyed Borg accuses the Labour governments of permitting the kiosk to operate!

j.spiteri (on 20/12/08)

good value for money??when was the last time you was there??nothing else like it?/look at the strand full of restaurants and snack places

Gorg Borg (on 20/12/08)

@ C Micallef.. The release stated that there will be no kiosk this time around. If his lease expired. TAKE HIM OFF. ITS OUR SQUARE TO ENJOY.. .

l borg (on 20/12/08)

AN OTHER DARK SIDE OF THE LABOUR PARTY HEYDAYS OF THE 70S COMES TO AN END
MR LOUIS GATT
NO IT WILL BE A CRIME TO GIVE IT TO THEOTHER PERMISSION OWNER
THE REAL VICTIMS WERE THE SHOP OWNERS IN THE SQUARE AND THE PEOPLE OF SLIEMA DEPREVED FROM THE TOWN SQUARE TO MAKE SOMEONE ELSE A MILLIONIARE

c.camilleri (on 20/12/08)

This kiosk in the prime place in Sliema is a reminder of how shamelessly things were done in the past. It has ruined the place completely and now it is about time that this square is returned to its rightful owners, the People. The present owner has the audacity to ask to renegotiate for something which he has no longer right to. Permit for such a monstrosity in the center of Sliema should have never been issued. The sooner the place is returned to the people by restoring its former glory the better.

P Debono (on 20/12/08)

Thank God! What an eyesore the Magic Kiosk really is. I'm sure thousands of people will be happy to see the back of it.

Even though it's good news that there;s going to be a garden, how long do you think it will take until the authorities approve a monstrous block of apartments in its place?

Joe Tabone-Adami (on 20/12/08)

There was no 'previous owner' of the site at St Anne Square - only a previous lessee. Whether that concern was rightly or wrongly deprived of its business opportunities is another question. However, let there not resort be had to providing 'kiosk' facilities - however minimal by space - to mar the concept of an open relaxation space smack in the middle of Sliema. As I had observed some time ago, there are enough places providing chips, pizza and pastizzi at hand in the Strand and the Tigne seafront, with sometimes even more than permitted seating!

Michael Spiteri (on 20/12/08)

Talking of eyesores, when will the horrendous kiosks be removed from our sandy beaches like the ones in Ghadira Bay, Ramla il-Hamra and Ghajn Tuffieha (Golden Bay)? Like food kiosks in our squares these occupy the little precious public spaces we have in Malta and to add insult to injury the tenants occupied all the remaining sand with their sun umbrellas and deck chairs to rent out to the bathers.

peter busuttil (on 20/12/08)

about time.....finally.....

Mr B J Simmons (on 20/12/08)

The Magic Kiosk is certainly unsightly, although it would look better in a different colour. All the time the authorities allow ANY broken down lorry to be PLONKED along picturesque spots on sea fronts around Malta, one has to query the authorities motives.

As a regular visitor I do not comment about politics and do not know if there is any connection, as indicated in a comment below, however I do see that sometimes the authorities seem to treat the landscape and the people not as carefully as they could.

I will be visiting in Feb and look forward to seeing if the cafe is still there.

James Symons (on 20/12/08)

How much nicer a tree lined square with some seats than a turquoise shed, roll back the encroachment of eyesores on the scene, pedestrianise Triq Bizzaza and give central Sliema back to the people to enjoy without traffic fumes and car hooters.....keep up the good work.
James

Charles Micallef (on 20/12/08)

I totally agrees that this eyesore is completely out of character for the area, and will be concerned that if it is replaced with a smaller kiosk, it will eventually take over the square with illegal chairs & tables as have happen with certain adjoining coffee shops in the area which makes me believe that political allegiance. plays a big part as to who we enforce our rules and regulations ............................equality for some!

D Vella (on 20/12/08)

This is sad.For a long time the Magic Kiosk gave value for money food and still does,in a nice pleasant envoirment. Theres nothing else like it in these parts.Hope minds are changed.

Louis Gatt (on 20/12/08)

Great. How about giving it back to the previous owner?

Magic Kiosk to do vanishing act

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