‘AX wants to own Merchants Street’

Labour mayor Alfred Zammit said the local council was “against exaggeration” and therefore “against this type of structure”, revealing that the council was never consulted on the platforms.

Art and art history professor Keith Sciberras described the situation as “unabashed commercialisation”.

More tables and chairs placed without agreement

A resident living nearby told Bonġu, AX Group chairman Anġlu Xuereb “wants to own Merchants Street”.

Draft agreements seen by this newsroom indicate that AX Group is seeking to take up even more public space.

Chairs and tables of one of its restaurants have already been placed in front of a neighbouring building.

Update 31 August 2021 9pm

On Tuesday, AX Group removed tables and chairs it had placed in front of an adjacent building without a signed agreement in hands. However, the group has not commented on this separate issue.

‘Valletta has become a jungle’

PN councillor and former Valletta mayor, Christian Micallef, emphasises in an interview with Bonġu that he refuses to discuss one particular establishment, as the problem was a much bigger one.

“We should ask a simple question. Are we striking the right balance between the residents in Valletta and the business community? Are we striking that balance? I would say that today in Valletta, for sure, we’re not striking that balance.”

Christian Micallef says he understands businesses and their need for support after lost revenue due to the restrictive measures and shutdowns in the coronavirus pandemic.

“If I was the owner of that hotel, when I see the situation at present time, I would have done the same. If you see what’s happening in all Valletta, the situation is the same. What’s leading to this is that there’s no clear guidelines by the authorities, I would say by the government. They have no vision. And people in business are trying to explore all the possibilities how can they exploit the situation.”

The councillor says it’s becoming more and more difficult for residents, especially the elderly, to get around in their own city in a safe and convenient way.

“Everyone in Valletta thinks, everyone, that he owns the place. Valletta has literally become a jungle, one huge jungle. With all these tables and chairs, with people basically not following a guideline, because practically they don’t have a guideline, the situation is becoming horrific.”

AX Group said on Monday in a reaction to Times of Malta that it had consulted “with all stakeholders”.

Neighbours and the Valletta Local Council insist that they had not been informed about the platforms.