The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) said today that it was astonished that the rebuilding of the road to Xlendi would take place over the summer.

Similar works, it said, commenced two and half weeks ago in Marsaxlokk, during which restaurants and similar establishments saw their business almost grind to a halt because of the rebuilding of the road and promenade.

"The MHRA has been advocating the need to upgrade and maintain Malta's key tourism zones for the past decade and undoubtedly welcomes such upgrading projects, nevertheless it deplores the timing of such works, irrespective to reasons given by the authorities responsible to justify the timing. It all boils down to lack of proper planning. Whatever the cause, such works should never commence at the start or during the summer season," the association said.

"Despite existing legal notices which prohibit such works in the summer season, it appears that the government is the first to contravene them, whilst consultation on such works with the affected parties, leaves a lot to be desired."

It said that in the case of the Marsaxlokk, restaurant operators were given five days notice of the commencement of the works, whilst plant and machinery was being mobilised on site.

"We were told that such works cannot be undertaken in the winter months because of inclement weather, one wonders how northern countries, who are subject to worse weathers conditions than Malta, cope with such works," the association said.

It insisted that the government should be more sensitive to the concerns of operators whose businesses depended on activity generated during the summer.