The owners of a snack bar in Baħar iċ-Ċagħaq have taken planning rules in their own hands and built an illegal structure to offer clients an alfresco dining experience.

The operators of Ronnie’s restaurant, a beach post which was converted into a snack bar years ago, on March 14, 2013, the day Labour was returned to power, submitted a planning application for “internal and external alterations to the property and placing tables and chairs at roof level”.

The outside development zone application is still being studied by Mepa but the operators this year decided to forge ahead and built a large illegal structure to add at least 50 new open-air covers to their restaurant.

Mepa said it was aware and was slapping the operators with a €20-a-day fine until they removed the structure. The fine can go up to €40 daily if the illegality is there for longer than 181 days and up to a maximum of €50 a day if it is there for more than a year.

“Mepa has become a joke and its failure to act justifies the illegalities taking place all over the country,” an angry businessman operating in the same locality told this newspaper.

“Mepa will be fining whoever is abusing just €3,600 if he chooses to operate the illegal extension for up to six months or all summer. I think it’s a very good business deal for an additional 50 covers,” he said sarcastically.

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