Owners of restaurants around Spinola Bay in St Julians are up in arms against the mayor and the mega screen on their doorsteps, which, they say, is attracting “football maniacs” to the upmarket area and driving their customers away.

Xatt is-Sajjieda is no place for rowdy activities that turn the area into an extension of Paceville

They have signed a petition objecting to the screening of Euro 2012 matches at Xatt is-Sajjieda for the entire month because, they say, it is blocking access to their establishments while the noise is pushing their “first-class” customers away, leading to a loss of business in the peak season.

The government is looking into the matter.

Unlike bars that welcomed the tournament in the hope of boosting sales, some operators of these dining establishments have already estimated a decline in revenue over the weekend, since the matches started being aired.

In one case, the drop was calculated at 30 per cent, with empty tables at a usually busy time and patrons walking out, while a boutique hotel lost guests from its most expensive room.

The fact that Spinola Bay is “host to some of Malta’s top restaurants, which invest heavily and pay for permits to operate from the tranquil and picturesque setting” was not considered, the petition says.

“Xatt is-Sajjieda is no place for rowdy activities that turn the area into an extension of Paceville, attracting lager louts, instead of the upmarket diners we cater for,” it continues.

The owner of three seafront restaurants, Peter Darmanin, said the area was being downgraded and his customers could not be expected to enjoy an al fresco dinner while the match and the “mob’s” screeches were blaring in their ears.

Hotel Juliani director Erika Cassar Rouvelas said guests had walked out over the weekend because they had “not chosen to stay in a €260 suite to listen to football”.

The hotel lost more than €1,000, she said, adding it was impossible to relax by the rooftop pool because the sound was so loud.

Joseph Darmanin Demajo said he had several extra expenses for licences to run his restaurant, while someone could just set up shop by the sea, with the blessing of the local council.

The activity was purely commercial and had no link to the St Julians community, he added.

Restaurateur Julian Sammut said the mega screen should be moved to Luxol car park or Manoel Island. Xatt is-Sajjieda should remain the quaint fishermen’s area it was marketed to be and be enjoyed in peace.

Disturbed residents and some fishermen also joined the chorus of complaints, calling for the immediate removal of the screen.

In the line of fire, St Julians mayor Peter Bonello brushed aside the issue, pointing to the usual suspects in reference to the restaurateurs.

He reasoned that shifting the activity to the promenade from the Tigulio area, where similar events were often held, would save 120 parking spaces, which would anyway be used by the restaurants’ customers.

Mr Bonello denied that access to the restaurants on the promenade was blocked, and shrugged off the loud noise, saying it stopped at 11 p.m.

He said businesses should not feel threatened because the crowd at the matches was not their sort of clientele, being mostly youths, who would eat hamburgers from the kiosks.

But it was precisely that type of crowd that some restaurateurs had an issue with, horrified that Buġibba was being brought into Spinola Bay.

However, Mr Bonello retorted: “Is Buġibba anything less than we are? Is it ħamallu (uncouth) to have a big screen?”

The answer for Mr Darmanin is “yes”, and he intends to “fight tooth and nail to save an area I was instrumental in creating before it is transformed into the stinking hole it was a couple of decades ago” and now caters for the surrounding five-star hotels.

Tourism Minister Mario de Marco said he fully understood the complaints and was doing his utmost to resolve the situation.