A Classic Example Of The ‘Uglification’ Of Malta: ‘They Must Be Blind, Crazy, Or Bribed’
An anonymous reader has come out swinging against “abominable” tents that restaurants have set up across the country’s public spaces, with the iconic Pjazza San Gorg in Gozo becoming their latest victim.
“A classic example of the uglification of Malta and Gozo. After the embellishment that took place at Pjazza San Gorg in Rabat, Gozo, the entire area has now been taken over by the surrounding cafes/restaurants.”
“To make matters worse, these establishments have now erected abominable tents which are an aesthetic disaster.”
“Whoever gave the permits for these structures must either be blind or crazy (or bribed!).”
“The quaint square has completely lost its character and there is hardly any room to move between these fiery red structures. Incredible!,” the person said.
The ‘tables and chairs’ policy, which was introduced in 2013 and targeted at promoting an ‘al fresco’ experience in touristic hubs, has been controversial with eager restauranteurs occupying more and more of Malta’s public spaces.
The initiative has also been plagued by numerous abuses. New policies aimed at curtailing encroachment abuse appears to have yielded few results, with daily illegalities regularly witnessed by residents.
The issue is reaching all corners of the island, with a group of Valletta residents coming together to start a pressure group to combat the endless lines of tents and canopies that have cropped up in the capital city.
Meanwhile, local councils in both Sliema and St Julian’s have called out the haphazard dishing out of such applications.
The PA has said it will be investigating the cases in Valletta. However, the PA’s effectiveness has long been questioned.
A decision to remove is-Suq tal-Belt’s canopies was meant to happen in November but was cancelled. A replacement sitting is yet to be announced.
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