Businesses are feeling the pinch of at least 18 months of protracted roadworks on Msida’s seafront road, with restaurant owners struggling with losses resulting from no parking, dirt and disruption.

Numbers were down by 15 per cent and losses were amounting to €300 a day, according to various restaurant owners along the beleaguered strip of road that was meant to be completed last April, then in September and now in January after the project started in July 2022.

Since then, motorists have had to navigate potholes and uneven surfaces on the 400-metre stretch, causing major tailbacks on what was reduced to a one-laner. But it is not just commuters who have suffered due to delays in works on the town’s most prominent connecting road.

Quantifying the negative impact of “two years and eight months of distress”, the manager of a pasta restaurant on Ix-Xatt Ta’ Xbiex said it was now losing an average €300 a day. Open seven days a week, this amounted to a monthly €10,000.

Giacomo Giacalone from Pasta & Co. said it was costing €50 a day for a cleaner just to clean the outside, and some staff also had to be shed because of no more work in the evenings.

“The dust is killing us,” he said, while there was no parking within a 1.5km radius. Not even those who worked in the nearby offices wanted to step in mud and water to get to the area.

“Those who stopped coming as a result of the discomfort will not return,” the manager said about the long-term loss of clients.

“Our regular, good clientele call and tell us they cannot come anymore. They will not even take that road!”

“This was not caused by an avalanche, or an earthquake; the government caused it,” said the exasperated manager, asking for help.

Giacolone insisted it was not the result of a natural catastrophe, but a shortcoming of the state, which should compensate and help owners with lower taxes and electricity bills.

His concerns were shared by the owner of Shakinah, an Indian restaurant that has also borne the brunt of the delayed roadworks.

Its owner, Alex Aquilina, said around 15 catering establishments along Ix-Xatt Ta’ Xbiex had been “very negatively impacted” for over two years – a “never-ending story” and “uphill battle”.

It was “depressing” that projects started in Malta, but with no end in sight, he said.

Apart from the traffic issue, which has left motorists frustrated for years now, cleanliness has been a major issue, hygiene being key in catering establishments.

“We are struggling to keep the place clean,” Aquilina said about the dust that flies in as soon as the door opened onto what looked like “Kabul” outside.

“Guests will judge us on this, and it could tarnish a good reputation, so we have the extra burden of keeping under control the inside areas we can control,” he said.

“We have to spread our core energy on what should be taken for granted and what is happening outside.”

Aquilina said one door often had to be kept locked and delivery couriers were asked to wait on the pavement outdoors to avoid them walking in with mud and leaving footprints.

“This means we have the added job of taking the ordered food out to them.”

Riddled with issues of unconnected water culverts, bad workmanship, rogue contractors and consequent court cases and fines, the situation has left Aquilina monitoring matters daily.

“One day, you think they are moving fast; the next, another three holes are dug up!

“One time, our gas supplier simply could not even stop to drop off a tank.”

Road disruption combined with less income

The restaurant business was already facing issues of inflation and less disposable income, with customers being more sensitive and careful how they were spending money, Aquilina said.

He added that the numbers and average spend were down by 15 per cent even if Shakinah was full at weekends, with a full staff complement.

The roadworks contributed to a “big drop” in footfall and spend compared to last year.

The topic of conversation at table was often the disarray outside, and patrons who arrived unaware of the roadworks were taken aback. Rainfall has also meant disembarking passengers would step into puddles of water and drag mud with them, he continued.

It was a pity because the promenade and yacht marina have been embellished, but tarnished by the roadworks, Aquilina said.

“Please get on with it and let’s move on,” he appealed.

For a neighbouring pizza takeaway joint, the situation was even worse, its business based on passers-by and deliveries. Cars would stop, order, wait and drive off. But that was not possible anymore.

There were times when half the road was blocked off, and on the seaside parking spaces were replaced by equipment and machinery, leaving a single lane for traffic.

The Lucky Goose has also faced “traffic, parking and eyesore” issues, and experienced being “out of action” over the weekend, with the road cut open right in front of it and machinery parked there.

In the important Christmas period, this had even more of an impact on the mostly “winter” venue.

Described as a walk-in bar, with many gaming company employees stopping for a drink outside after work, this was no longer feasible due to the construction and the mud.

“When your friends say they are not coming because the situation is ridiculous, you can imagine what others are thinking,” the bar owner said, adding there was no forewarning to be able to work around things.

While it was understandable that works needed to be done, the duration was not acceptable, he said.

Last month, Infrastructure Malta told Times of Malta roadworks would take place strictly at night, and estimated they would be completed by “the first or second week of January”. But the promises now have to be seen to be believed, according to the business community.