Burger joint apologises for ad on Valletta bastion, blames 'misunderstanding'

A fast-food company that faced backlash from the Valletta mayor and a heritage NGO after projecting an advert onto the historic bastions has offered its "sincere apologies" for the incident, which it attributed to a "misunderstanding".

Gżira-based burger bar Hotty Burgers faced a barrage of criticism on Monday after heritage NGO Din l-Art Ħelwa posted a video showing a massive, rotating logo of the fast-food business projected onto the historic Valletta bastions.

The NGO highlighted the fortifications’ protected status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, emphasising that “temporary does not mean harmless”, while the mayor called the incident a “complete lack of respect for Valletta” and a “blatant act of vandalism”.

Responding to the controversy later on Monday, Hotty Burger offered its “sincere apologies to all the people of Malta for the recent incident”, which it said it truly regretted.

“Due to a misunderstanding, an unfortunate mistake was made. As soon as the authorities contacted us, we immediately removed the advertisement. We never intended to disrespect Malta’s history or heritage, nor to cause any offence or harm”, it said in a Facebook post.

“We hope that the people of Malta will accept our sincere apology. Your understanding is very important for us, and we remain committed to showing respect for the culture, history, and values of this beautiful country.”

The burger chain advertises itself on Facebook as one of the caterers for the World Cup fanzone in the Valletta Ditch, also known as Laparelli Gardens.

The business has shared promotional videos, shot in the area, featuring its staff and entertainers.

The projection can be seen in the background of a video posted on Hotty Burger's Facebook profile as far back as June 18.

Drawing attention to the fortifications’ heritage credentials earlier on Monday, Din L-Art Ħelwa stressed that “projecting commercial publicity directly onto these historic fortifications is therefore extremely difficult to reconcile with those principles”.

The NGO emphasised that “temporary does not mean harmless”.

“Is it not enough that the entire island is already plastered with commercial billboards? Must we now project advertising onto the magnificent bastion walls of Valletta, a UNESCO World Heritage Site?" Din L-Art Ħelwa asked.

Weighing in on the issue, Valletta mayor Olaf McKay condemned the projection “in the strongest possible terms,” calling the incident a blatant act of vandalism", emphasising that the council would "not tolerate abuses such as this".

Show some respect for our capital city- Valletta mayor Olaf McKay

The projection demonstrated “a complete lack of respect for Valletta, for our heritage, and for our country”, McKay wrote in a social media post, adding that he had already contacted the operator to remove it.

“To Hotty Burger, I say this: our historic fortifications are not a commercial billboard. You cannot simply set up a projector and use our national heritage as advertising space for your business. Show some respect for our capital city and for the country in which you live”.

The controversy follows years of discontent among Valletta residents and heritage activists over what they argue is the over-commercialisation of the capital.

Chairs and tables placed in public paths and planning applications for tourist accommodation have frequently provoked the ire of residents over the years and led to protests.