The Police Commissioner’s decision to refuse a permit for a circus to be held near the Floriana Granaries over Christmas was reasonable, an appeals’ court ruled yesterday, overturning a decision of the Administrative Review Tribunal.

This decision was delivered following an application by Johann Said for a permit to hold a circus between December 12 and January 6.

Police Commissioner John Rizzo refused it on the basis it would reduce parking spaces in the locality and was against established policy.

Mr Said appealed to the Administrative Review Tribunal, which found in his favour and ruled that refusing the permit was unreasonable.

The Commissioner appealed and the Court of Appeal, composed of Chief Justice Silvio Camilleri, Mr Justice Giannino Caruana Demajo and Mr Justice Noel Cuschieri, found in his favour.

The court said its function in such a case was not to state whether or not it agreed with the refusal of the permit but to establish whether the Commissioner’s decision was reasonable.

It was a fact that parking spaces near Valletta and Floriana were in limited supply nd that demand increased over the Christmas period,the court said.

If the circus were held there, not only would parking spaces be lost but demand would also rise due to the people visiting the attraction.

The Commissioner’s decision not to allow the circus was therefore found to be reasonable and the appeal upheld.