The garish colour of a façade in Rabat has been toned down to a lighter shade after the Malta Environment and Planning Authority slapped an enforcement notice on the owners.

The action was taken after an article appeared in this newspaper pointing out that the colour of the Saqqajja Snack Bar jarred with the surrounding buildings, especially the elegant Casino Notabile. But instead of using a completely new, more complementary colour, the eyesore has merely been turned lighter pink. Rabat and Mdina are considered an urban conservation area by Mepa and the property which the snack bar forms part of is a Schedule Two protected building, which means the colour of the façade is also regulated. When contacted a spokesman for Mepa said: "It must be noted that within a couple of weeks with our weather conditions this will keep fading away".