Members of the Trade Fairs Exhibitors Association have formed a company and entered into a five-year lease agreement with Scicluna Estates, the owners of the grounds of the former Naxxar trade fair, to use the place for events, including fairs.

The company’s shareholders are Paul Abela, Anthony Galea, John Camilleri, George Demajo, Effie Micallef and Darren de Domenico. All have experience in the organisation of fairs and were former members of the Trade Fairs Corporation.

They told a news conference this morning that their intention was to have the place up and running by the end of next month.

The summer fair, they said, would be organised between June 24 and July 4. They have promised to keep exhibitor prices at 2007 levels and said the company had enough financial backing to sustain the whole five-year lease period without financial problems.

When asked whether the place was still licensed for the organisation of fairs, Mr Abela insisted that no place in Malta was permanently licensed as a fair ground. Even in previous years, the corporation had had to apply for a permit on a yearly basis.

Mr Abela said he was sure government would not object to the issuing of a licence for the organisation of a fair at Naxxar, especially since according to Malta Environment and Planning Authority's structure plan, the Naxxar grounds were still identified as fair grounds.

The Trade Fairs Corporation had sold the rights for the holding of fairs to SignIt. The Trade Fairs Exhibitors Association is still part of the corporation and all bodies sitting on the corporation approved the lease agreement.

When asked whether the was market big enough to sustain two fair venues, Mr Abela said he was confident that this was the case. The idea, he said, was to also promote Naxxar as an event location.