Beloved Riviera Beach Captured Overloaded With Private Sunbeds As Locals Outraged
Photos taken this Monday have outraged locals as the beloved Riviera Beach in Mġarr is captured completely overloaded with sunbeds and umbrellas, seemingly barely allowing any space for beachgoers to lay their own towels.
This is a recurring issue which continues to plague multiple beaches around the Maltese Islands. In fact, a number of protests and actions were held at Comino’s Blue Lagoon in the last years, as an attempt to minimise the commercial take-up of public land.
Yesterday, a local took to the popular Facebook group, Are You Being Served?, to lament the sharp increase of sunbeds and umbrellas that Riviera beach has seen in the last summer.
“(They) have literally take over Riviera leaving no space for people who do not want a sunbed and umbrella. Moreover they leave the sunbeds there even when people leave, hogging the whole bay for their commercial ends,” the post claimed.
“The pictures have been taken on a Monday, a day which is meant to be least busy,” the local added.
The photos taken sparked hundreds of reactions and comments, as more people chimed in citing a lack of enforcement and a need for public spaces to be protected.
“Sorry to say, but there is no law enforcement in Malta,” one comment read.
“I totally agree! I went there recently and was amazed by how they’ve just taken over! We had to walk to the very far end of the beach to find a spot without umbrellas and sun beds to put our towels. Why isn’t the council/government doing something about it?” another said.
“What a shame.”
As the debate over the commercialisation of Malta’s public beaches continues, the situation at Riviera serves as a stark reminder of the need to balance business interests with the public’s right to access and enjoy natural spaces.
What do you make of these photos? Do you still visit Riviera?
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