By the end of next month, Ta’ Qali’s 62 Crafts Village tenants have to decide whether to sign a 65-year government lease as part of a €9 million embellishment project, or else vacate the place.

An Economy Ministry spokesman confirmed the project which is being managed by Malta Industrial Parks will include new services, street lighting, public open spaces, parking facilities and a family area.

The restoration of two Nissen huts which were part of the military airbase that was closed down in the late 1960s is also part of the project.

The ministry said that in the coming months Malta Enterprise would roll out a scheme to assist tenants in the development of the sites and promote artisanship and crafts in Malta.

At the age of 55, I am not very keen to fork out €100,000

While the spokesman described the feedback as positive, tenants who spoke with this newspaper were not so keen about the project, saying they could not afford to finance the cost of the new premises.

With the March 31 deadline looming, sources said only about a third had accepted the offer, with the majority deeming the conditions as being “too tough”.

Asked to outline the offer being tabled, the ministry spokesman said the space provided would have to be used exclusively for the manufacturing of artisan goods.

However, requests to change activity would be generally accepted as long as this would remain within the parameters of the project.

He said tenants would be granted land on emphyteusis for 65 years and rent would be revised every 25 years.

Though the sale of products not manufactured on site would be allowed, imported goods would be strictly prohibited.

According to sources, the lease agreement also obliges tenants to submit all documentation and plans within three months from the signing. They added that works on the new two-storey premises would have to be completed within an 18-month period.

As for the rent, they claimed this would be around €3.50 per square metre.

While some Ta’ Qali business operators welcomed the emphasis on the sale of Maltese crafts, others said this would make it even harder for them to make ends meet.

The latter lamented that the cost was prohibitive for them compared to their profits. Some had even resorted to their lawyers in an attempt to halt the entire process.

“At the age of 55, I am not very keen to fork out €100,000 to build new premises on a site measuring some 80 square metres,” one particular tenant said.

This lack of enthusiasm has already cast doubts on the final outcome of this project, with fears that the plan was doomed to fail from the start.

However, an artisan specialising in stone works who was among those who signed the agreement, expressed his resolve to make out the best of this project.

It would be a pity if the project is once again shelved

“If we really want to promote traditional Maltese crafts, tenants willing to invest to upgrade their product must be given the chance of doing so,” he said.

Though he did not go into detail, he said he had ambitious plans to open a large complex which would showcase various traditional crafts, like wax making and ceramics, at a cost of some €500,000.

Nevertheless, he acknowledged that the conditions could have been more lenient with the small operators.

“It would be a pity if the project is once again shelved, as Malta lacks a proper centre where artisans could showcase traditional crafts in a decent environment,” he said.

The offer tabled in recent months by MIP is the umpteenth attempt by successive administrations to revamp the beleaguered village.

The original proposal dates back to 1992, when the Nationalist government unveiled plans to upgrade the site.

However, the project never materialised even though some 10 years ago tenants had signed a promise of sale with the government.