The pile of debris that was once the Magic Kiosk, in Sliema, is finally being cleared away once and for all after the courts gave the go-ahead last week for demolition to resume.

The dismantling of the turquoise aluminium kiosk had started on January 9 after the restaurant's 30-year lease expired and the owner ignored a number of eviction notices issued by the government.

After the place began to be pulled down, however, the work was interrupted when a court upheld a request for a warrant of prohibitory injunction filed by owner Joe Pace, who wanted to stop the government from recycling the aluminium taken from the kiosk.

Mr Pace said the aluminium belonged to him and the authorities had no right to dispose of the structure.

On February 6, Mr Justice Goeffrey Valenzia decreed that the works can carry on under the supervision of a court-appointed architect.

In the meantime, the area had become an eyesore with piles of debris littering the square.

Following the court's decision, work started yesterday morning at about 7.30 a.m. and are due to continue over the weekend.

The government's intention is to turn St Anne Square, where the Magic Kiosk once stood so conspicuously, into a space to be enjoyed by the public.