Restaurant canopies along The Strand pose ‘catastrophic risk’

The outdoor restaurant structures located all along The Strand pose a “catastrophic risk” to pedestrians and residents, especially if a fire had to break out, a report by a risk management company found.

The report highlights a grim reality: fire engines and ambulances have no clear access, and pedestrians are being forced into oncoming traffic. Thousands of people use the stretch of road daily.

“The fact that this situation has been allowed to develop into its current state shows a total lack of consideration given to safety of anyone,” a report by Shield Consultants said.

Sliema resident Anna Maria Baldacchino, a member of the Sliema Residents Group, lives on The Strand – located on Triq ix-Xatt along Sliema and Gżira – and decided to commission the study herself.

The street is lined with restaurants and bars that have built outdoor catering areas protruding into the road, leaving a gap between the building and the outdoor area to allow for a public pavement.

Speaking to Times of Malta, Baldacchino said this began last year when an apartment adjacent to hers caught fire, but the fire engines were unable to open their ladders, so the firefighters were forced to gain access through the building.

“I was worried because obviously incidents happen and I always thought, if something had to happen what will be the outcome,” Baldacchino said.

She resorted to the authorities, however, she never received a straight answer about any form of risk management study.

“Nothing happened. At the end of the day, my life and the lives of other residents are at stake here,” she said.

‘High risk of a traffic collision’

The report goes into detail about how the extension of the outdoor areas creates a hazard for cars driving on the inner lane which tend to steer their cars towards the outer lane increasing the “probability of a collision”.

The situation also becomes more dangerous if there is a delivery vehicle, which is forced to stop in the middle of the road, as there are no loading bays available.

Signed by fire risk management consultant Andre Muscat, the report further noted how the outdoor structures block the view of anyone who wishes to cross at the pedestrian crossing.

“Pedestrians need to walk onto the road in order to be seen by approaching vehicles,” the report said.

Fire engines and ambulances have no clear access, and pedestrians are forced into oncoming traffic.

Semi-permanent structures in breach of permit

Besides this, the report flagged how many establishments are in breach of the planning permit regulations by placing potted plants on the pavement or the road.

The report cited permit PA/ 06207/16 as an example which reads: “No steps, ramps or street furniture are to be constructed on or encroached onto the public pavement or road”.

It further states that all these outdoor catering structures are semi-permanent structures that are not easily or quickly retractable, although the permits state that the structures must be “easily retractable”.

The structures remain in place even when the establishments are closed.

There is also the risk of a fire starting in, or spreading to, the outside extension

Given all the obstacles, the report raised serious concerns about the increased risk people face in the event of a fire or other emergency.

“There is also the risk of a fire starting in, or spreading to, the outside extension,” the report added.

The report noted that these catering establishments are surrounded by residential buildings with only one stairway for access. If residents were forced to evacuate, this would cause “great congestion and confusion”.

The report also questioned whether a fire engine would have enough space to utilise hydraulic platforms or turntable ladders, given the protruding canopy.

The number of obstructions might also further delay emergency responders from reaching the residents. It added that ambulances might find difficulty parking near the building and further difficulty to get a stretcher through the “crowded and congested environment”.

Pavement is hazardous for people with mobility difficulties

The obstructed and congested pavement also endangers the elderly and individuals with mobility impairments, the report flagged.

It also mentioned the difficulties of walking on the pavement with young children and describing passing through with a pushchair as being “almost impossible”.

In the report’s conclusion it said: “The conditions reviewed and reported in the report constitute several instances of a clear and present hazard laden with catastrophic risk potential from the road users to the pedestrians to the residents and even to the customers of the establishments themselves.

“Unless brought under control quickly, the situation is only bound to get worse,” the report concluded.

This is not the first time Baldacchino has challenged these outdoor structures.

In January 2024, she said she applied for permission to take up public land where the restaurant Gourmet Cocktail Bar & Grill had an outdoor seating structure that had been operating illegally for around a decade. Later that month, the Planning Authority approved a permit to sanction the restaurant canopy.

Earlier this year, Baldacchino gave a passionate speech in the European Parliament about noise pollution caused by bars and restaurants.