Nightclubs will not, after all, be opened in Valletta’s Strait Street, the former red light district now undergoing “cultural regeneration”.
The pledge was made by V18 head Jason Micallef, who said the area will become a hive of activity with events happening throughout the day and at “respectable” times during the night.
Clubbing establishments, however, will not form part of this initiative, he said.
He was reacting to concerns raised by Valletta Mayor Alexiei Dingli after a planning authority document was released describing plans to transform the area into a “vibrant 24-hour destination”.
Prof. Dingli had asked whether this would mean the street being developed into a Paceville-style party district. Would neighbours be forced to leave the area due to unbearable noise?
But Mr Micallef has now insisted that nightclubs are out of the question and the plan for the area has “the community at heart”.
“What we mean by 24-hour attraction is definitely not Paceville. We have a vision for the locality that brings it back to life, with a particular emphasis on culture. 11pm is not 24 hours,” he said, adding that laws forcing bars to keep the noise down past 11pm would be enforced.
Mr Micallef urged people not to adopt a “gloom-and-doom” attitude about efforts to regenerate the capital, saying the successful attempts to revitalise the area were already proof of his good intentions.
The planning authority’s policy document came in the form of revisions to the Grand Harbour Local Plan which the authority approved last month.
The revisions laid down guidelines to turn the area into a 24-hour hub but gave few details of what “24-hour” actually means.
The concerns over late night entertainment hitting the city streets were first prompted after Mr Micallef used the term Paceville fil-Belt (Paceville in the city) last year.
What we mean by 24-hour attraction is definitely not Paceville
He had told Times of Malta that he was looking into the feasibility of turning Strait Street into a “lively night-time location” and that this would be done “tastefully”. He had not at the time ruled out the opening of clubbing establishments in Valletta.
A number of new bars have recently sprouted on Strait Street, once infamous as a red light district, but although noisy at the weekends they have steered clear of the thumping baselines and rowdy patrons associated with nightclubs.
The policy recommends that music not be played outdoors any later than 11pm. When it comes to amplified music inside establishments, this should only be allowed if they have been fitted with soundproofing.
The policy also includes provisions to limit the conversion of vacant properties into offices around the area earmarked as a cultural hub.
It also includes long-awaited regulations on the use of tables and chairs in public passageways.
It also says that care will need to be taken to ensure that “new activities” do not create unacceptable adverse impacts on the residential community, particularly through excessive noise. It calls for noise mitigation measures to be used whenever possible.
The free movement of pedestrians and traffic flows should also be respected, it adds.