St Paul’s Bay Mayor Raymond Tabone confirmed yesterday that signs prohibiting barbeques in front of a St Paul’s Bay bocci club and a restaurant were installed by the Local Council, which felt it was “not right” for people to hold BBQs exactly in front of people eating at the clubs.
Sources claimed, however, that the signs will lead to a precedent and the council will have to bow its head to requests by other seaside restaurant owners.
St Paul’s Bay Mayor Raymond Tabone
The issue was first raised by an irate St Paul’s Bay resident, who sent a picture of the sign to be published in The Malta Independent's weekly column Who Cares? asking if the sign was legitimate or not. The resident said that he had planned a BBQ by the sea in front of the club but as soon as they set their things down, one of the club’s staff confronted them, pointing out the sign. “We called Qawra Police Station and confirmed our suspicions that the sign was not legitimate. The club owner approached us again and threatened to call the police since we ignored his previous advice.”
Another resident was told by Mayor Raymond Tabone that the sign, in front of the Thallassejn Bocci Club, was put up by the council, as was another in front of the Gillieru Restaurant. “We feel that it is not right that people hold a BBQ exactly beneath the area where people at bocci club are eating. Just a few meters away, people are free to hold their BBQs where there is enough space to enjoy holding a BBQ. I do not understand what all the fuss is about.”
‘I am not against BBQs but we need to show respect’
When contacted by The Malta Independent, Mr Tabone confirmed that the signs were put up by the council out of “prudence.” The Mayor said people have every right to hold BBQs but it should be obvious that it is not right to barbeque in front of a restaurant when one can move a few metres down the beach. “It is true that Malta is for all (Malta Taghna Lkoll), but that does not give anyone the right to annoy others. We did this as a sign of respect. It is common sense that you should not put a smoking barbeque in front of a restaurant’s dining area.”
Will consider other demands
The Mayor said both establishments had asked for a sign prohibiting BBQs in front of their premises and the council had obliged because it felt it was the right thing to do.
When asked if this will lead to a precedent, the Mayor said he would consider other demands by restaurant owners to declare the area in front of their premises a no-go zone for barbeques. If there are many demands, the council will consider introducing a bye-law. He insisted, however, that there is plenty of space for everyone to enjoy in St Paul’s Bay and this should not turn into an issue. “I am not against barbeques. On the other hand I encourage them, but I insist that people should clean up the area before they leave.”
When contacted by this paper, former St Paul’s Bay Mayor Graziella Galea said the issue had never been discussed during a council meeting and confirmed that there are no bye-laws to this effect. Ms Galea, as such, questioned the enforceability of such a signs. “I am not saying that there should not be specifically designated areas for BBQs but such a system would have to be a holistic one, not one that applies for two specific areas.”