Sadness over L-Imgarr Hotel

Having stayed at L-Imgarr Hotel 14 times I am informed about the plans to demolish it and close on December 2.

I realise I am not in a position to demand that Tumas Group do not do so. My reaction is one of sadness, and then thoughts concerning the wonderful Gozitan staff, and then furious anger towards the Tumas Group and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority.

In September 1996, looking up at this marvellous hotel on the cliff top, majestically overlooking Malta like an old castle, I knew: This was "our" hotel! I fell in love with it.

I have always enjoyed our stay under the management of Sammy Rapa and Paul Banavage. I have tried other hotels but always gone back to L-Imgarr Hotel.

The reason is its unique position - it is the world's best situated hotel. I have travelled all over the world - Hawaii, Bali, Maldives, Carribean - but where else can one look down on a genuine, lively harbour going on with its daily life: the big lorries, the busy ferry workers, the policemen controlling the increasing traffic, the fishermen and their lovely boats or the horse owners and their beautiful, swimming horses? Not only is the view unique - so are the hotel and its staff.

As the years have passed, I have learned to appreciate the Gozitans, always smiling, helpful, attentive, polite, friendly, doing their best. They do not know the word "no". They are the best!

Why didn't the Tumas Group sell to a foreign hotelier, instead of to a firm that does not see the beauty of the building and is not able to convert the hotel into apartments without demolishing the building?

I think Mepa have made a big mistake approving the plans to demolish this hotel. There are consequences for the environment in the harbour and the neighbouring areas.

Are they going to build a copy of Portomaso? Will that be the future for Mgarr? Nobody I have spoken to agrees with the plans to build apartments instead of the hotel.

I will certainly visit Gozo again and hopefully stay in Mgarr/Ghajnsielem .