Residents want illegal outdoor furniture excluded from Storm Harry damage scheme
Residents' groups: Cafes and restaurants should not get compensation for illegal tables and chairs
Cafés and restaurants that had illegal outdoor tables and chairs should be excluded from receiving compensation for Storm Harry damage to that furniture, residents' groups in Sliema, Valletta and Marsascala have said.
The post-storm cleanup is also a golden opportunity for authorities to install ground markets and enforce boundaries of permitted outdoor areas, the groups added.
A €1 million funding pool has been allocated to compensate private property damage caused by the storm and not covered by insurance policies. People, NGOs and businesses can claim up to €5,000 each, the Transport Ministry said this week.
The Sliema Residents Association, Residenti Beltin and Marsaskala Residents Network expressed sympathy for those who suffered damage during the storm, but expressed alarm about the lack of clarity surrounding a government pledge to help compensate damaged businesses.
“The list of damages eligible for financial compensation includes: 'Outdoor furniture belonging to establishments or households'. However, the list of exclusions made no mention of establishments abusively setting up outdoor furniture without the necessary permits. Are those to be compensated too?” they asked.
Residents noted that establishments were first given additional provision for outdoor seating during the pandemic, to compensate for social distancing rules that reduced establishment capacities. But while those pandemic-era regulations are gone, outdoor seating rules were never wound back.
They noted that, under public domain laws, land within 15 metres of the coast was public and could not be sold, transferred or granted under concession.
“As cafés and restaurants proceed with re-installation and repairs following the storm, it is essential that no further encroachment into public space is allowed. Equally, it would be an affront to the public if establishments that have grabbed public land, are now compensated for damages using public funds. The re-establishment of outdoor facilities must strictly adhere to approved permits and clearly defined boundaries,” they said.