Catering establishments banned from serving diners alcohol due to COVID-19 restrictions are still in dark as to whether they will be allowed to apply for temporary permits throughout November.
Bars and social clubs (każini) have been closed until December 1 as part of the latest set of measures introduced in an attempt to slow the spread of coronavirus.
Snack bars have been allowed to remain open as long as they do not serve their patrons alcohol.
This has led to several establishments that are licensed as snack bars but which serve proper meals not being allowed to serve alcohol.
Times of Malta is informed that the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) had been mulling introducing a temporary licence for those in such a situation but according to media reports, this idea has been turned down by the cabinet.
Several attempts by Times of Malta to clarify the situation with the MTA proved futile and questions sent on Tuesday remained unanswered.
Meanwhile, Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association CEO Andrew Agius Muscat said the tourism authority has yet to inform it of a change in plan.
“We have been discussing this with the Malta Tourism Authority as part of efforts to try and resolve the issue.
Snack bars have been allowed to remain open as long as they do not serve their patrons alcohol
“So far we haven’t heard anything, and so we await direction,” Agius Muscat said.
He said that confusion over such a sensitive issue that comes at a time when all those involved were under-going financial difficulties was worrying.
According to the CEO, the MHRA had long been calling for reforms to address the licensing problem which came to the surface with the latest legal notice.
“You cannot sort out everyone at once and that is why the temporary licence would have worked,” Agius Muscat said.
“It seems that the policymakers were not aware that there are different licences and that they would be opening a pandora’s box when they issued the latest rules.”
Looking ahead, the CEO said if the temporary licence idea is shelved, the owners of catering establishments should be given a clear direction on the way forward. At least, he said, they should be given some clarifications.
Last week, the Association of Catering Establishments said it believed the licensing law was outdated and did not reflect the reality on the ground.
This claim, however, was dismissed by Malta Chamber of SMEs deputy president Philip Fenech who urged owners to ensure that their licences are in order.