The Malting Pot’s guide to illegal and abusive coastal eateries in Malta

There is nothing better in this world than an ice cold beer on a scorching Maltese beach in Summer. As temperatures have started soaring in Malta, people have begun to flock to the coast and splashing their Facebook walls with their ‘First Swim Selfies’. With the tourism sector gearing up for a busy 2015 summer period, I have decided to also do my part by providing tourists and local  revellers with a guide to illegally and abusively constructed eating outlets around Malta and Gozo.

Before we kick this off, let me clarify what I mean by ‘illegal’ and ‘eating outlet’. By referring to an outlet as being illegal, the outlet may be constructed without a permit in its entirety, or it may have some form of illegal extension to the legal part of its premises. There are also a couple of outlets that may be legal but are still abusively occupying public space. In any case, the majority og these outlets are breaking the law and occupying public land, and in most cases even constructing parts of their premises in ecologically sensitive areas. An eating outlet may range from a full fledged restaurant, to a beach lido, to a kiosk, to a make shift outlet that cooks on a barbecue (this is actually true).

This situation isn’t that bad, right?

A – Mgarr ix-Xini Kiosk – This outlet been in breach of a MEPA enforcement notice since 2007, and is labelled as “pending direct action”. Tens of thousands of euros were be paid out to this ‘business’ as it was forced to close because of the ‘blockbuster’ movie By the Sea that was shot at Gozo’s Mgarr ix-Xini by Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie. Source: The Malta Independent. On a separate note, I had visited this outlet once and was not even provided with a VAT receipt. Therefore this outlet is illegally occupying land and does not even pay VAT on all income generated.

Brad and Angelina were filming By the Sea in Malta in the summer of 2014 in Mgarr ix-Xini. The area was cordoned off to keep out the peasants, so business were compensated. One of these happen to be this illegally built restaurant. The seafood os good though, albeit a bit pricey. (Photo credit: Us Magazine)

B – Munchies Kiosk (Golden Bay) – An honourable mention since this has now been (finally) demolished – The kiosk used to occupy an ecologically sensitive area and has been dismantled. Although most of the new facility will be located under the car park, the new development will include an 80 square metre terrace overlooking the beach.  Source: MaltaToday

The proposed new Munchies restaurant. After years of illegally occupying ecologically sensitive area, the owner gets off easy with a newly approved location in the same beach (Photo credit: MaltaToday)

C – Cavett Place/Tac-Cavett –  The site includes structures without a permit, and the enforcement notice also states the use of the site was switched from a farm to a venue hosting commercial activities that include serving food and drinks. Source – Times of Malta

D – Las Palmas (Bahar ic-Caghaq) – Served with an enforcement notice in May 2014 after a metal railing structure to serve as a raised platform for tables, chairs and umbrellas was erected. By November 2014, number of covers doubled despite an enforcement notice served by Mepa last May. Source: Times of Malta

E – Scoglitti Restaurant (Valletta) – In February 2015, MEPA issued a number of enforcement notices over the erection of a boundary wall and lampposts and a number of alterations to the façade without a permit. Source – MaltaToday.

The illegal extension of Scoglitti Restaurant is denying access to the public, mainly fishermen and canoeists. but even Posh people need to eat right? (Photo credit: MaltaToday)

F – Scicluna Farmhouse (Gudja) – A Gudja farmhouse was illegally converted into a restaurant. Despite complaints by its neighbours, it continues to operate despite having been slapped with an enforcement notice by the planning authority in 2012. Source: Times of Malta

G – San Blas Kiosk – In 2009 MEPA issued an enforcement notice against a ‘structure’ serving as a kiosk for the hiring of deckchairs and umbrellas.  In 2010 MEPA issued an enforcement notice against a bamboo enclosure (in which bricks were being kept) and the construction of stairs leading to the beach. Burgers are still being served today. Source – MaltaToday, The Malta Independent

H – Dwejra Restaurant (Gozo) – Not an illegal case, but a highly abusive one. A restaurant was never meant to be built in Dwejra, but this was controversially incorporated into the Interpretation centre in 2007. A permit for a permanent generator in the middle of the existing car park at this site was filed in 2013. Source: MaltaToday

The restaurant owner has been vying for an outlet in this area for nearly two decades. His wish came through when he negotiated to have this outlet incorporated into the Interpretation Centre in Dwejra. If only we could do something about that horrid font and colour, naqa cliché hux? (Photo credit: MaltaToday)

I – Kiosks in St Paul’s Bay – llegal works were being carried out along Qawra Promenade to enable the relocation of three Kiosks that are occupying land needed for the development of a Private Aquarium in the area better known as Ta’ Fra Ben. Source: Malta Star

J – Ghadira Bay Kiosks – Another legal case but executed to high degree of stupidity. Concrete bases were laid down in the bay, impacting the coast, the sand dunes and surrounding ecology in this Natura2000 site. The permit for the kiosk had been repeatedly refused, and one of the kiosk had two enforcement orders, which were swept away by the approved Development Notification Order. This DNO system bypasses public consultation to fast-track applications for minor works. Source: Times of Malta

K – Summer Nights (Marsascala) – Since 2001, the owner has not applied for a permit allowing him to cook food on site. Source: Times of Malta.

L – Anthony’s Restaurant (Nadur) – This case has been regulated, but harmful impacts to the traffic flow of the area still persist. Outlet owner has a permit to place a small number of tables, and last April (2014), it applied for a permit to “extend pavement under the area covered with the concession for placing of tables. No permit was issued to extend the area in which tables and chairs were placed, but this did not appear to deter the restaurant, which ended up incurring an enforcement notice for occupying a larger public space than it was allowed to. Eventually, however, the restaurant relented, and the offending street furniture was removed. Source: The Malta Independent

M – Ramla Bay Kiosk – An enforcement order was also issued in 2012 against a kiosk built without a permit on scheduled land in Ramla l-Hamra in Gozo. An application to sanction the kiosk presented by the owner in 2009 was withdrawn by the Planning Directorate. Source – MaltaToday

This illegal kiosk refuses to enter the 21st Century, with its tacky and cheap design and finishes. But what is the point of spending money when there is no competition in the area? (Photo credit: BeachMalta)

N – Ray’s Lido (Armier) – Enforcement order issued in 2003, referring to the illegal development of a two-storey building and to two concrete platforms in the sea. An appeal against the enforcement order was rejected in 2006. In parallel to this appeal the owners also presented three applications to regularise the development, the latest of which was turned down in 2009. Subsequently the owner applied for a reconsideration of this decision, which was turned down twice in 2011. But an appeal against this decision is still pending. Source – MaltaToday

O – Dahlet Qorrot Kiosk – Similarly, an enforcement against a kiosk in Dahlet Qorrot, an area of ecological importance in Qala, has been pending for the past 10 years. Source – MaltaToday

P – Hondoq ir-Rummien Kiosk – A kiosk in Hondoq ir-Rummien is also subject to an enforcement order issued by MEPA in 2000. Applications to regularise the kiosk and allow tables to be placed outside it was rejected in 1998 and 2000. Source – MaltaToday

Q – Belmar Lido (Armier) – An enforcement order against the Belmar lido was issued in 2006. The enforcement notice refers to the change of use of part of the beach into a private lido. An appeal was presented against the enforcement order but this was rejected three years later. Source – MaltaToday

R – L’Aroma Terrace (Ghadira Bay) – An enforcement order against the development of a concrete platform, wooden canopy, stairs and concrete ramp without permit was issued against the Adira lido in 2010. The enforcement has been pending for the past four years. No attempt has been made to regularise this development through a formal application.  Source – MaltaToday

This outlet in Ghadira wants you to enjoy its products in a safe and accessible environment, so it went the extra mile by building a concrete platform illegally in the beach. (Photo credit: MaltaToday)

S – Paradise Bay Lido – served with an enforcement order against the construction of an illegal canopy covering the restaurant’s terrace, the construction of a room being used as a kitchen and the creation of concrete paved areas used for the placing of sunbeds and umbrellas. A similar enforcement notice against concrete paving in the same site was issued in 1993. According to MEPA’s files this case is still, 20 years later, awaiting “direct action”. Source – MaltaToday

 * * *

The above outlets are only the ones reported by the media, and represent merely a fraction of all the eateries in Malta that have illegalities that are simply swept under the rug. Furthermore, if one takes into the account all the sun bed and umbrella renting outlets, mobile kiosks, and other merchants operating in coastal areas without the necessary permits, the above map would become too congested.

With tourism figures growing each year, these outlets will ultimately increase in number and end up occupying more public space and damaging sensitive ecological areas. Ironic how the government wants to build more hotels to improve the tourism sector, when the sector currently requires so much more enforcement.

At least we can rest easy knowing that the Tourism Minister publicly came out against illegal restaurants and kiosk operating in coastal areas. This was in July 2014, so may be this post will help the minister and the pertinent authorities start enforcing these outlets. Come on guys, this is just like going to the gym – the first few days are the hardest!

Whatever you do this summer, eat responsibly and support your law abiding restaurateurs!

Game of Thrones: How MEPA screwed up Malta’s best filming opportunity yet

Game of Thrones is an HBO fantasy drama adapted from George R. R. Martin’s novel series A Song of Ice and Fire. Despite a ‘soft’ first season release in 2011, anticipated mainly by fans of the novels, the show quickly achieved mainstream commercial and critical acclaim. In what would could only be described as a stroke of luck, Malta was selected as a filming location for the first season based on its abundance of natural and cultural locations that embody the fictional continent of Westeros. However, a filming choice sanctioned by the Malta Environment and Planning Authority led to an environmental catastrophe, causing HBO flee the island to more professional working pastures.

Please take us back HBO! We promise to behave this time round.

The prominence of Game of Thrones is not only exemplified by its list of accolades (including several Emmys and a Golden Globe Award), but also by its worldwide distribution. With an ever growing fan base, every new season boasts a marked increase in viewership – rising by 20% between the second and third seasons. HBO parent company Time Warner have reported that the series averaged 14.2 million viewers per episode in 2013, inching it closer to passing The Sopranos as the most watched HBO series of all time, and expected to claim this title at the end of this year’s fourth season.

In anticipation of the premier of Game of Thrones Season 4 on Sunday 6th April, I think it would be ideal to recall Malta’s best missed filming opportunity: After filming Season 1 in Malta, a protected area was damaged, the production company was blamed by Malta’s environmental authority (MEPA),  production moved to Croatia instead, and Malta missed it chance at a lucrative filming deal and free publicity!

Filming for the first season began in Malta in autumn of 2010, where scenes for King’s Landing (including the Sept of Baelor and the Red Keep) and the Dothraki Wedding (including Magister Illyrio Mopatis’ house) were filmed. Given the diversity of regions in the fictional continent of Westeros, some of which are found in Malta, the local filming industry could have easily positioned itself in a long and fruitful relationship with HBO throughout the continuation of the series.

However, filming took a sour turn when sandy material laid in Dwejra Heritage Park, a protected area, during the filming of the Dothraki Wedding adhered to the rocks beneath.

(Above) Game of Thrones Season 1 episode 1 showing the Dothraki Wedding scene and the sediment that was deposited in the protected area. Dwejra is characteristically known for the Azure Window also pictured above.
(Below): an aerial photograph showing the filming site (circled in red) before filming occurred.

Producers of the show were given the green light by MEPA to lay sand over the rocks near the Azure Window, a situation which created “outrage among residents and environmental NGOs who [became] worried that the protected fossil-rich area may [have been] severely damaged”.

The production company failed to comply with the permits issued, using a permeable membrane (pictured above) to cover the protected land area from the sand. The sand seeped through, causing it to become cemented onto the land beneath. MEPA claimed that the production company failed to adhere to the necessary permit requirements, and that it used damaging heavy machinery during the initial clean up processes.

In another MEPA gaffe, heavy machinery was used to clean the affect site, which subsequently damaged the rich fossil bed beneath. There was no need for concern though, since MEPA official quickly rushed to stop the operation – you would think they had learned their lesson the first time round to affix an official in an already damaged site (Photo credit: TimesofMalta)

The saga ended with a local production company shouldering the blame for the entire disaster, in which it was fined €36,500 by local authorities. As generally happens in Malta, this incident subsequently pushed MEPA to propose new conditions for all filming permits issued thereafter.

Is MEPA to blame?

MEPA’s role in this filming fiasco has much been debated in the local media, with lots of tiptoeing around the issue. MEPA even admitted that in had not been present during the laying of the sand, which it blamed on the production company for not informing the authority sufficiently in advance.

In any reputable country other than Malta, Environmental Agencies would shoulder the responsibility of such events. Instead, MEPA stated that ” it [is] impossible for Mepa enforcement officers to be always present during any form of development” – Oh Please. Such comments merit a Westeros style ‘beheading and a public display on a pike’.

It must have been logistically impractical to have MEPA environmental officials on a site that is going to be altered to such an extent – whilst keeping in mind that Dwejra is a candidate UNESCO World Heritage Site, part of the Natura2000 framework and locally classified as an Area of Ecological Importance (AEI), an Site of Scientific Importance (SSI),  a Special Area of Conservation (SAC), a Nature Reserve, a Bird Sanctuary and also boasts an adjoining Marine Protected Area (MPA).

Of course MEPA is to blame, since this case was unequivocally unique – filming requests of this magnitude and specialisation do not happen every other week in such protected areas. To add insult to injury, then MEPA director Michael Seychell stated that the tampered site was simply ‘bare rock’, so there was no cause for concern. This is obviously another attempt at mitigating the damage caused to the site.

In fact, an independent assessment of the impacts of filming found that:

• “Some damage [was] observed…as evidenced from freshly fractured fossils and damaged ichnofossils…beneath seemingly fresh heavy vehicle tyre tracks”
• “direct damage to karstic features within the south‐western and western reaches of the [filming area], closest to the sea”
• “[Limited] landscape and visual scene impacts…[more evident] at the micro‐scale…within the [filming area]… visual impact is related primarily to the characteristics of the deposited sediment which left behind a reddish residue on the affected rock surface”
• “The noted damage to irreplaceable fossil and ichnofossil features (whether such damage was caused by filming and ancillary activities, or by unrelated visitor pressures, or by both) constitutes a clear threat to the integrity of the site’s geological,
  geomorphological and palaeontological heritage; similarly, the observed damage to karstic features also disrupt the overall integrity of the protected area”
• “Possibility [for burial under sediment] could not be excluded for small sedentary species that live in crevices and fissures in the rock, under overhangs, under stones, or at base of the vegetation that was buried”
• “Vegetation in such areas was found to have a number of animal species associated with it suggesting that the partially buried plants may have had fauna that were negatively impacted by sediment transported or spilled from the area of deposition”

The Game of Thrones filming incident was a major MEPA gaffe, that undoubtedly caused damage to a protected area and made HBO flee Malta faster than Samwell Tarly running away from White Walkers.

(Above) – Game of Thrones season 1 episode 5 – The scene where Jaime Lannister arrests Ned Stark at Petyr Baelish’s brothel
(Below): The filming location for this scene is in Malta’s old capital Mdina

Whilst I am highly anticipating the premier of Season 4 of Game of Thrones, I am gripped with a small sense of melancholy at the thought of not seeing Malta representing Essos and Westeros – would it not have been awesome to see the Grand Harbour in the Battle of Blackwater Bay? Alas that will never happen, all because Malta has an incompetent and irresponsible Environmental Authority.

Politics in Malta make for a ‘sad’ environment

It should come to no surprise that politics manages to infiltrate itself into every corner of society. While the outcomes of such a relation are somewhat debatable, generally depending on which party you support, I am confident that the environment in Malta has historically suffered as a result of political intrusion. 

As part of my MSc programme at UCL, I set out to uncover the use of stakeholder participation and environmental governance in Malta. Central to this study was the selection of an appropriate site, so I decided to use Dwejra in Gozo as it is a site of ecological, archaeological, cultural and economic importance to the Maltese population. This research project set out to uncover the current management regimes of this prominent site, by analysing them in reference to the concepts of environmental governance and stakeholder participation.

Dwejra was chosen as a study site as a result of recent events that raised questions on how such sites are being managed by the authorities. This research focused on issues of onsite development and filming, in light of the ‘Interpretation Centre’ saga and Game of Thrones incident.

During the filming of the first season of Game of Thrones, sand was laid on the rocks in this protected area. This material eventually consolidated and adhered to the rocks. The saga ended with HBO effectively dismissing Malta as a filming site. Where the stakeholders properly consulted and involved in the process leading to the filming of this show?

‘Governance’ is a concept used to describe a mutual understanding between public and private actors in the face of communal problems. It has been widely applied in environmental politics, where it advocates for a holistic approach in environmental decision-making. Such a concept is generally limited as a result of environmental and commercial conflicts which arise within conservation sites such as Dwejra. Environmental governance can be achieved by adopting a multilateral decision-making process that extends some governing power to stakeholders such as charities, NGOs and SMEs, and the public. As such, environmental governance is intertwined with the process of stakeholder participation, the latter also including elements of public engagement in environmental decision-making processes.

 Stakeholders interviewed felt they were underrepresented in decisions pertaining to the management of Dwejra Heritage Park (DHP), supporting the argument that stakeholder participation had not been achieved. While it was argued that the government had tried to assimilate stakeholder participation in its management scheme, this was not successful. As such, this study exposes a situation where the influential players involved in environmental conservation in Malta are mainly higher governmental bodies.

 Such a result also reflected the sentiments felt by members of the public, who felt disregarded in certain environmental decisions. However, it appears that the public has a general attitude of indifference towards such topics which could be symptomatic of two issues. The Maltese public could either be suffering from a case of NIMBYism (Not in My Back Yard), where individuals are only concerned about issues that may directly impact their lives or lifestyles, or they may be feeling ‘defeated’ by a government that has so far failed to meet conservation duties.

 This study exposed a situation where stakeholders felt an apparent lack of political will to achieve environmental targets. This could be a reason why the concept of environmental governance in Malta has not yet been successfully implemented. It appears that there is no political will in Malta to prioritize environmental concerns before the government’s political agenda, so no amount of institutional reforms can ever achieve the desired environmental targets.

 It was concluded that this poor structure of governance was a contributing factor to development problems such as the Interpretation Centre, and the Game of Thrones filming incident.

 It is acknowledged that various pressures co-exist in DHP, arising mainly from Dwejra’s importance as a tourist attraction. It is recommended that MEPA explores the possibility of monitoring visitor numbers. This would contribute to better tourism management plans, and could provide a dialogue with relevant stakeholders (including service providers such as divers, boat trippers, and transport providers). I am confident in the government’s commitments towards the environment, but entities such as MEPA need to be given more support on how to implement stakeholder participation, seeing as the cases of development and filming in Dwejra have shown these efforts to be unsuccessful.

Click here for a press release version of this blog post at The Malta Independent

Shifting blame on previous governments will further damage the environment

Maltese governments have a dismal track record in environmental protection. Despite the grand claims of environmental management under the supervision of the EU, the past decade has continued to reaffirm the importance of development above anything else. When will political parties cease this mission to find a scapegoat and actually focus on delivering something concrete that will enable the Maltese public to enjoy natural spaces without the fear of contractors looming above their heads?

The Wied il-Ghasel development is on the biggest environmental gaffes made under the previous PN administration

In any modern democracy, political parties will use any issue as a vote generating mechanism – and the environment is no exception. However, in comparison to other democracies, Maltese political parties only view the environment as ‘Air Pollution’ and ‘Development’. Many politicians seem to miss the boat on issues of Renewable Energy, sustainable practices, species conservation, marine conservation and site management, unless these are tied to other issues which spark an interest with voters.

It should come to no surprise that people in Malta have an atypical perception of the environment when compared to other EU countries, where they classify Air Pollution, Waste production and Climate Change as the main environmental challenges in Malta. This directly reflects the way which politicians tackle the environment, an obvious indication of a public that relies too much on political parties for information and cannot stop to think independently and rationally.

In a 2011 European Commission barometer survey on “Attitudes of European citizens towards the environment”, only 14% of Maltese respondents answered ‘protecting nature’, which is significantly lower when compared to the 47% scored by other EU countries. It is frustrating to come to realisation that this is as good as it gets. How can the people, more importantly the average Joe on the street, be bothered amount protecting the environment if governments constantly ignore it?

The past PN administration was lucky to form a government that was legally bound to introduce EU laws on the environment. It is undeniable that it was very successful on paper, even in the setting up of land and marine protected areas. Yet it failed in practice in terms of law enforcement and general practice, as can be exemplified by the many developmental fiascoes – The Interpretation Centre in Dwejra, Boathouse issues, Wied il-Ghasel and abuse by certain well-known contractors to name a few.

I do not deny their shortcomings and I openly condemn them, but I find myself feeling even more uncomfortable by statements made today by the current Environment Minister and the Parliamentary Secretary for Planning as to how “they don’t blame NGOs for protesting over environment issues, permits” and that they should blame the previous administration.

How is that in any way, shape or form making the situation better? No new government ever inherits the best possible scenario, but simply shifting blame will not benefit the environment in the long run. As a concerned member of the public, I simply ask: is this government going to keep the promise to make the environment a priority and make the wrongs of the previous administration right? Or are we simply going to witness excuse after another and continue to observe the development frenzy in an already overdeveloped country?

Unfortunately, if history is an indicator, the future looks promising on paper but so grim in practice. It is at this point when the situation becomes even more worrying in Malta. When such practices become commonplace, people will continue to shrug them off as routine. I hope the NGOs in Malta continue with their efforts, and I also encourage any readers who are able to attend a Protest March for the Environment on the 30th of November

Fifty.

This blog is merely a recreational venture of mine, allowing me to share my views on various environmental issues currently happening all over the world. However, writing such material is itself a daunting task, requiring much time and patience to adhere to. Reaching the 50 post milestone is a small step in the blogging world, but undeniably one in the right direction.

To celebrate this milestone, I will share with everyone the following video I made whilst in Malta for a recent visit. The title is a portmanteau of “holiday” and “home”, since visiting Malta provides me with an exquisite combination of both.

List of filming sites (in chronological order)

01 – San Blas Bay (Gozo) (0:00 – 0:24)

02 – Mgarr Road (Gozo) (0:25 – 0:28)

03 – St George’s Basilica, Victoria (Gozo) (0:29 – 0:39)

04 – Xlendi Bay (Gozo) (0:40 – 0:47)

05 – Independence Square, Victoria (Gozo) (0:48 – 0:56)

06 – Xlendi Bay (Gozo) (0:57 – 1:08)

07 – Blue Lagoon (Comino) (1:09 – 1:26)

08 – Ghadira Bay – Starfish (Malta) (1:27 – 1:32)

09 – Blue Lagoon (Comino) (1:33 – 1:42)

10 – Lola the Cat (1:45 – 1:49)

11 – San Anton Palace (Malta) (1:50 – 1:56)

12 – Maltese wall Lizard (1:57 – 2:00)

13 – Pippin, the other cat (2:01 – 2:04)

14 – San Anton Palace (Malta) (2:11 – 2:18)

15 – Fungus Rock, Dwejra (Gozo) (2:19 – 2:22)

16 – Azure Window, Dwejra (Gozo) (2:23 – 2:25)

17 – Sunset (2:26 – 2:42)

18 – BBQ time (2:43 – 3:00)

19 – Mdina – Mdina Gate (Malta) (3:01 – 3:03)

20 –  Mdina – St Paul’s Cathedral (Malta) (3:04 – 3:15)

21 – Random Village Feast Fireworks Display (3:16 – 3:34)