Paceville saw more violent incidents 30 years ago when it was home to just a handful of bars, but the recent hype surrounding violent incidents has given the public the wrong impression of the area, accordingto the man who represents theestablishments.

Philip Fenech, president of the tourism section of the Malta Chamber for Small and Medium Enterprises – GRTU, told The Sunday Times he was appalled by a spate of recent violent incidents, including the stabbing of an 18-year-old man last month, but insisted Paceville “is not the way people perceive it to be”.

“When you have 15,000 people gravitating to one place, violent incidents will happen. There might be none for weeks and then a few all at once. But what we need is a holistic approach to dealing with such problems rather than blanket measures,” he said.

Last week, a meeting took place between bar owners, the GRTU and Group Acting for a Safe Paceville (GASP), the pressure group set up last month by lawyer AnthonyFarrugia after his son was beaten up by a group of men while trying to defend his girlfriend.

Both Mr Fenech and Dr Farrugia told The Sunday Times the meeting was constructive and bar owners and GASP found they shared the same concerns about the need for a more effective police presence and surveillance system. They said they plan to meet all concerned stakeholders, including the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), Swieqi council and language schools, to listen to their concerns over the coming weeks.

They then plan to produce written proposals which they hope will be taken on board by the police and authorities.

The police presence in the area has been beefed up in recent weeks due to the hype surrounding violent incidents, Mr Fenech said. But although he welcomed the increased presence and praised the police’s efforts, he believes the policing system for the area could be made more effective.

“I would like a more structured approach. For example, we could draw up a plan of the whole area and we would know where the police are at each fixed point. We could have the SAG (Special Assignment Group) van with free movement everywhere. If the police are spread out, it won’t look like a warzone, but their presence will create peace of mind for everyone.”

Mr Fenech said this dispersion of officers could also include an officer with a radio patrolling nearby Swieqi, where many residents and the council complain about noise and vandalism caused by revellers leaving Paceville.

He would also like to see more effective use of the CCTV cameras which cover the area. These were installed by the Malta Tourism Authority and are operated by the Guard and Warden Service House. Mr Fenech said when the CCTV monitors spotted an incident on camera they reported it to the police, but the response time was often too slow.

Another idea he is mooting is to create a system whereby troublemakers are barred from entering all bars and clubs in the area for a fixed period of time.

Mr Fenech also praised the role that security guards in bars and clubs play in maintaining law and order in Paceville, despite frequent allegations that some of them are too heavy-handed.

“Most of them are good people. Often when there are big incidents the police would get hurt if it wasn’t for security. Police and security men work well together; the police remove people ejected from clubs from the area so they can’t cause problems elsewhere.”

When asked about allegations that some security guards carry illegal weapons, including CS gas, Mr Fenech said: “I don’t like to hear of such incidents, but even certain girls keep CS gas on them as a precaution.

“Sometimes it is difficult to control a big crowd until the police show up if things get out of control. Many times it is a form of protecting the other people who are enjoying themselves, although at the end of the day it does hurt everyone. And the legality is an issue.”

On the issue of noise pollution, Mr Fenech said it is important to strike a balance between the needs of bars, hotels, residents and revellers. He said he agreed with the police clamping down on offenders, but certain officers were being overzealous and booking bar owners after hearing music from the street for a brief moment when a club door opened.

He did not see any problem with many of the gentlemen’s clubs staying open long after 4 a.m. because their music is not heard from the street.

No place of entertainment is licensed to stay open later than 4 a.m., irrespective of noise levels.