'God decided to wash everything away': owner of storm-hit Għar Lapsi restaurant

Updated 2.35pm

Siġġiewi residents found a ravaged Għar Lapsi on Wednesday morning, as fishermen, business owners and bathers turned up on site to assess the damage. 

Among them, Gilbert Borg, owner of Carmen’s Bar, found boats in the kitchen of his popular seaside restaurant, which had pushed through the wall of an adjacent boathouse. 

The boat in the restaurant's kitchen. Photo: Daniel Ellul

“God decided to wash everything away. We now hope in Him that things will be brought back to normality,” a stunned Borg told Times of Malta. 

The damage at the restaurant was made worse by a fire that broke out at the bar during the storm.

Borg said he hopes to be able to reopen the restaurant soon: the livelihood of multiple families depended on the restaurant, he said. 

The restaurant is licenced by the Malta Tourism Authority but is also subject to daily fines by the Planning Authority for using part of the slipway to place tables and chairs without a permit. 

Borg, whose family has owned the restaurant for 22 years, said he had never seen damage of such magnitude in the area. 

“There’s never been this sort of damage here. The sea has come up on occasions, but never like this. Even the elderly around here are saying that they’ve never seen something like this,” he said.

Storm Harry, which began to pick up on Monday evening, battered Malta throughout Tuesday. Locals believe the storm ravaged Għar Lapsi on Tuesday evening as the wind direction changed slightly.

The ramp leading to Għar Lapsi before the storm. Photo: Sutterstock

The ramp leading to Għar Lapsi now. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

The ramp leading from the main road to the sea was destroyed, and rubble now lies in place where the slipway leading to the 'Għereq Miżun' area.

'I've never seen Għar Lapsi like this' 

Among those who on Wednesday morning turned up at Għar Lapsi to see the damage themselves, 76-year-old Victor Vella said the seaside area was part of his life.

“For us Siġġiwin, Għar Lapsi is a special place. I've never seen Għar Lapsi like this in my life... but this is part of life," he acknowledged. 

Phyllis Fenech, 64, endearingly known as “the mayor of Għar Lapsi” said she had tears in her eyes when she saw the devastation: “I hope that they’ll be able to fix it by the summer. For us Siġġiwin, this is a special place - and for me, it is heaven”.

“This is a big disaster. We could have never dreamt of something like this,” added Siġġiewi pensioner Joe Micallef, who comes to swim at the bay every day in summer.

Repairing the place in time for swimming season depended on how much effort the council and the authorities would put in, he added.

Public works minister visits Għar Lapsi 

Public works junior minister Omar Farrugia was also on site on Wednesday morning.

“It hurts to see Għar Lapsi in this state,” Farrugia said, adding that he was looking to the future with optimism.

“Technical experts and architects will today evaluate the situation, firstly to ensure safety and security.”

This will be followed by a consultation process with the local council so that “Għar Lapsi is given the best appearance possible”.

Asked if he thought Għar Lapsi would re-open by the summer, Farrugia said it would be premature to say so: “Let’s evaluate the situation, but our focus is to refurbish Għar Lapsi as soon as possible".