Updated 4.15pm with PN reaction below.

The appearance of a pop-up food establishment at a historic Mdina palazzo was “trial market research”, Culture Minister Owen Bonnici said on Wednesday. 

Last week, the Nationalist Party flagged the presence of what appeared to be a new restaurant in the courtyard of Palazzo Vilhena in Mdina, which serves as Malta’s Museum of Natural History. 

Asked by Times of Malta why the site had been handed to an operator - the owners of the Grotto Tavern restaurant - without a public call for applications, Bonnici said that Heritage Malta had decided to choose an operator with whom it already has a contract to run the “trial market research”. 

“Heritage Malta runs a private company which it uses to generate new income, for example through hosting banquets or luncheons at some of its sites. This is something that has happened under successive governments,” Bonnici said. 

“When it comes to concessions at Heritage Malta sites, there are already some that have restaurants incorporated, such as MUŻA’s which was opened after a public call.

“In the case of Palazzo Vilhena, Heritage Malta felt it wanted to open up the space for a short period of time for market research and gave this opportunity to somebody it already has a contractual relationship with.

"The concession was for one month and the establishment did not cook on site - it is not a restaurant - but sold food at the premises,” he continued. 

“After its conclusions, Heritage Malta will evaluate whether to provide these services in-house or expand them, eventually through a public call for applications and a concession.”

Minister pledges public calls where 'possible'

Asked whether he thought it was fair that a single operator was given the opportunity to run the pop-up without a public call, Bonnici said he “understood the criticism” and will ensure that successive projects by Heritage Malta will “as much as possible utilise public calls that lead to concessions”. 

Bonnici also said that the possibility of other Heritage Malta sites being used in a similar way was “being discussed” but that further studies to determine their viability were still needed before proceeding.

“I believe Heritage Malta sites should have an opportunity to generate new income, not because if it doesn't happen this won’t balance the books, but because I think it also serves to enhance visitor experiences,” he said. 

“This is something that happens overseas as well, people are enticed to visit the site and they also have an opportunity to sit and have a bite to eat. I think, wherever it makes sense, there should be this opportunity.”

PN insists on contract details

The PN in a reaction again insisted that the minister should  explain how the contractor to run the pop-up was chosen without a public call for applications.

Julia Zahra, the spokesperson for culture, said the minister, through his comments, had admitted that financial rules were broken. 

The minister had first said that these type of arrangements were done regularly, then he said this was market research.

But what market research was needed to establish that a prime site at the entrance of Mdina had commercial potential?

And even if such research was needed, it still needed to be transparent and  regulated by a public call for offers, something which Heritage Malta had not done. 

The PN again called for the publication of the contract details and details of expenses made by Heritage Malta in relation to the restaurant.