Restaurants want to earn their daily bread
Every morning, while several restaurateurs are setting out their tables and chairs along the Marsaxlokk promenade, six others are stuck in their eateries looking out at hawker stalls taking up the space right across from them.
The six owners complain they are losing business to the competition because they are being deprived of the facility to place their own tables and chairs along the promenade, despite a “simple solution” they have been proposing for three years.
Every day, about 10 hawkers ply their trade along the promenade in front of these restaurants, not only taking up the space but also blocking their view of the sea, which does not do much to attract customers.
At the same time, however, Għajn tal-Ħasselin square nearby lies empty.
According to the restaurateurs, the solution – which also features in the government’s master plan proposal for the area – would be for the hawkers to move to the empty square, allowing both to “earn their daily bread”.
When the tourism and land ministries were asked why the 10 stalls were not moved to the square, a spokesman said the number of hawkers was actually 21.
The hawkers, he said, did not object to the idea of placing a number of stands in the square but they insisted the remaining stalls would still have to be placed along the promenade because the square was too small for them.
The spokesman added that “suitable areas” had been allocated for all the stakeholders following consultations with the Marsaxlokk local council and the Malta Tourism Authority.
The Government Property Department had then submitted an application to the planning authority in January to establish a master plan for the area that creates a balance between the needs of the public, the fishermen of Marsaxlokk, market hawkers and restaurant owners.
However, during the Mepa consultation period, objections were raised by the local council, the hawkers, Transport Malta and some owners.
The property department and the MTA are now holding discussions with the stakeholders to come up with an “equitable solution”. In the meantime, the restaurant owners who spoke to The Times said they felt as if they had come up against a brick wall.
The hawkers have proposed placing their stalls along the promenade between the restaurants and their tables and chairs.
But restaurateurs insist this is impractical because neither the patrons nor the waiters would be visible from the restaurant.
They added that if these two rows were swapped – with tables and chairs placed between the premises and stalls – the patrons’ view of the sea would still be blocked.
In the meantime, the Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprise – GRTU has called on the authorities to take action and salvage what’s left of the summer business for these restaurants.
It said the government should ensure a “level playing field” and proceed according to the proposed plan submitted to the planning authority.
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13 Comments
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A Frantz
Aug 12th 2012, 17:54
Il-genituri tieghi jahdmu fuq il-monti, meta ghal sena shiha nehhewhom u tefawhom hdejn il-power station ir-restaurants stess gew lura jitkarbu bix jergaw jitfawhom quddiemhom ghax qas biss kienu ed ikollom nies u apparti ghamilna sena shiha bla xoghol kull nhar ta Hadd.
Kemm hawn min hu injorant u ma jafx jirrispetta lill haddiehor, kulhadd imur jahdem ghal familtu u bix ikollu biex jghix, kemm jekk int kennies u kemm jekk int president.
RISPETT lejn haddiehor. Easy as that!
Victor Laiviera
Aug 6th 2012, 17:05
The hawkers have been there for many years and are a much more authentic part of our culture than all the copycat "me too" restaurants opening wherever there is even the smell of a tourist.
Leave the hawkers alone.
Tony Camilleri
Aug 6th 2012, 16:01
Why does every space have to be filled with restaurants paraphernalia without any space for people walking on the promenade?
What about that building waiting to collapse just before Carrubia?
Are the authorities going to act when it falls down and kill those who happen to be passing bye?
Mr Peter Barbara
Aug 6th 2012, 13:32
Why is it that what is natural and full of common sense applies to 'barra minn Malta' and here it does not even get off the ground....and don't tell me it's because we are a small country - true, that may be one of the reasons - but I have a sneaking suspicion that even if we had a big land area we would somewhow contrive to stifle it and distort it out of semblance.
Toni Borg
Aug 6th 2012, 12:14
Restaurants at the far end of the promenade have hardly left any space for people to walk through.
One has to practically zig zag amongst tables and chairs.
Whilst I do tend to agree that monti hawkers can be moved to Għajn tal-Ħasselin Square,
on the other hand MEPA has to ensure that these restauranteers do not abuse by taking up
the whole promenade.
After all, as the name implies, this is a promenade and not a restaurant extension!!!
Rupert Grech
Aug 6th 2012, 10:53
Please leave some space for people. Does every square inch have to be used to make money? The waterfront promenade is already overcrowded with only a very small strip left for pedestrians.There are too many tables and chairs on the promenade already, the vast majority of which remain empty all day and night. Perhaps some people sensitive planning is the solution where a smaller, limited number of tables are allowed, evenly distributed among all restaurants rather than the excessive open slather which seems to operate at the moment. I don't think permanent hawkers' stands should be allowed at all. Sunday is enough.Give the area back to the residents. The ambiance of this beautiful village is slowly being destroyed by commercial and industrial interests. The idea of taking over the beautiful square as well is just greedy lunacy.
Anthony Arpa
Aug 6th 2012, 10:10
Manafx meta is sidien se jifmu li mil hanut il gewwa taghom biss hu taghom ... mil bieb il barra hu tal poplu Malti..... Kulhadd ghandu id dritt ghal ghejxien tijaw imma dan mandux issier min fuq dar haddiehor ... Bhall ma tnehhiet il Magic Kiosk biex pjazza Sant Anna inatat lura lil Poplu u bhall ma inatat lura Pjazza San Gorg il Belt lura il poplu hekk ukoll ghadhom jinghataw lura lil poplu il Bankini u il Bajjiet okkupati u postijiet ohra li huma tal poplu ...
Joseph Attard
Aug 6th 2012, 11:28
Naqbel mieghek 100%. L-art hija tal-poplu u mhux tar-restoranti. Marsaxlokk bizzejjed hemm il-bankina faccata tal-promenade bilkemm tista' tghaddi b'pushchair ghax okkupata bl-imwejjed u siggijiet. Wara kollox il-promenade sar minn flus il-poplu !
Tony Zammit
Aug 6th 2012, 19:38
mil hanut il gewwa biss hu taghom ... mil bieb il barra hu tal poplu Malti.....Naqbel mieghek 100%
Alfred Hili
Aug 6th 2012, 10:08
Restaurant owners are being discriminated when you consider their licence fees; water and electricity rates; and other fees. Most hawkers declare less than seven thousand euro yearly, occupy the best spaces and collect no VAT; their licence fee is nothing compared to what a restaurant has to pay; everything in their favour.
JOSEPH GRECH
Aug 8th 2012, 17:19
Jien nahdem fuq il-monti jekk trid tigi thallasieli int il vat youre wellcome ! U tara nigborx vat u xi spejjez ghandi.
Peter Murray
Aug 6th 2012, 09:29
was it also part of the governments"master plan" for the promenade access area to be paved solely for the occupationand utilisation of such by the restaurants tables,chairs and umbrellas an dnot for access to the public?
Mr Tony Gatt
Aug 6th 2012, 10:55
@Peter Murray
You have hit the nail on the head. I used to enjoy walking along the promenade there but not any more. Anyway, the hawkers have been there for decades.
Please choose the reason of your report below: