Marsa's Marija Reġina band club has had its premises bought by the government, which will now lease it back to the club.

The €250,000 purchase was announced by the government in a statement on Tuesday. 

It is the sixth band club property purchased by the state, following the purchase of the clubs of another five societies: Attard's Stella Levantina, Kalkara's San Giuseppe Filarmonika Sagra Familja, Birkirkara's Duke of Connaught's Own, Paola's Antoine de Paule and Sliema's Stella Maris.

The government is also in promise of sale agreements to buy the premises of another six band clubs.

The clubs in question all faced eviction from their historic premises, which they occupied at artificially low rental prices thanks to rent laws dating back 30 years. 

But following court judgements which ruled that those laws went against owners' right to enjoy their property, such clubs faced eviction. 

The government initially tried to change the law to shield band clubs from eviction, but the courts also ruled that those legal changes were unconstitutional. 

Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said the decision to buy the club premises was an important one for the cultural sector, especially given recent UNESCO recognition of Maltese festas.

The government is expected to spend a total of €19 million to buy the 12 band club properties.