Last Updated on Thursday, 10 October, 2024 at 12:22 pm by Andre Camilleri
Malta’s mild climate allows for outdoor eating to be one of the pleasures of life.
Like countries with similar geography such as Spain, Greece, Italy and Cyprus, Malta is dotted with places where people entertain themselves to dining outdoors. We have few days of wind and rain which make the experience of eating outdoors an unhappy one. Even in the heat of summer, eating outdoors under an umbrella is something that many people look forward to.
It is a custom that we all hold dear, and that nobody wants to see eliminated.
But, like anything else, this comes at a price. And, as usual, the important thing is to find a balance.
Just as much as restaurant owners should continue to be allowed, within limits, to use space outside their outlet to welcome their guests, residents and passers-by should not be hampered in their day-to-day routine. Public access remains equally important, too.
A few days ago, residents of localities with many restaurants who make use of outdoor space to expand their business – including Mellieha, St Paul’s Bay, Sliema, Valletta, St Julian’s, Marsaxlokk and Marsascala – joined forces with NGOs to hold a protest to highlight the issues that are faced when regulations are not followed.
They mentioned narrow streets where tables and chairs hamper passers-by, mobility issues for people with pushchairs and wheelchairs, and a general sense of suffocation when it is clear that the permit is for more restaurant chairs and tables than should have been allowed. They also lamented that some restaurant owners abuse of the permit given, and others do not even have a permit which, of course, makes the situation worse.
There are then situations when the presence of street furniture makes it impossible for emergency services to pass. It is not uncommon that ambulances and fire engines have been unable to pass simply because there are people eating out in the middle of the road. In this sense, whoever is responsible for the issuing of permits must see that access is not blocked. We all know that, in such cases, a few seconds can be vital.
It is also a question of enforcement. It must be said that, here in Malta, this is always found wanting. Whether it is for rubbish bags taken out on wrong days, driving and parking issues, construction illegalities and, in this case, tables and chairs which should not be on the pavement or in public squares, our enforcement officers are too few to handle all the problems, and sometimes they do not do their duties properly too.
All in all, what we need is a compromise. Permits should continue to be given, within established limits, but public access remains imperative. Then there should be enough enforcement for perpetrators to be brought to book. Repeat offenders should have their licence withdrawn, if needs be.
