'Beach mode off!': Sliema council installs signs urging ‘respectful clothing’
New promenade signs aim to deter beachwear in streets after year-long debate
The Sliema local council has started installing signs encouraging people to wear “respectful clothing” while in the town.
For over a year, the council and residents have debated concerns about people walking through the locality in beachwear, which some considered “indecent”.
To address this, the council is installing signs along the promenade at all beach exits “to remind tourists and visitors to dress decently when walking around town”.
The signs read: “Beach mode off! Dress smart & respectful clothing.” They also carry an image of a bikini with a red cross, symbolising them being prohibited, and an image of a shirt and shorts with a green check mark, symbolising approval.
In a social media post, the council said: “Sliema is a vibrant, family-friendly locality, and we are committed to ensuring it remains a pleasant and respectful place for everyone. These signs are part of our ongoing efforts to maintain standards in public spaces, reflecting the values of our community.”
The idea of the signage was first raised by Sliema resident David Pace O’Shea, who last year put up around 60 small signs across the town carrying the message “No swimwear on our streets”.
Reacting to the council’s decision, Pace O’Shea said: “This is a start and quite good in my opinion.” He welcomed the fact that action was being taken, but questioned whether more could be done.
“If our nation and our council feel strong about it they need to heed the people's comments and rope in other authorities in the campaign - typically MTA, community police, church, Airbnb and booking.com,” he said.
Pace O’Shea also asked whether the council had consulted the public about the signs.
In June, the council held a meeting to discuss the wording of signs encouraging modest dress in public spaces.
The matter reached parliament in July, when PN MP and former Sliema mayor Graziella Attard Previ told the House: “I saw it with my own eyes. People wearing tangas on Rudolph Street, Sliema, right next to the police station, and nobody tells.”
According to Malta’s Criminal Code, a person breaches public order if “in the harbours, on the seashore or in any other public place, exposes himself naked or is indecently dressed”.