Having last visited Malta in January and being immensely impressed by the Tritons Square in Valletta, I was disappointed to realise through the Times of Malta that what I thought were temporary public toilets, or misplaced containers, are, in fact, intended to serve as permanent accommodation for ‘businesses’. The array of tatty kiosks around the Valletta entrance was the worst aspect of it prior to the new gate construction. To create a market at the entrance yet again is crazy; it may well suit North Africa but it does not suit a European capital city.

Market stalls belong inside and hidden away. As for refreshment facilities, there are plenty of those down by the bus station. The €400,000 that went into these structures would have been better spent on providing public toilets.