Recorded traces of hostels in Gozo go back at least to 1839, when an enterprising Englishman, a Mr Griffiths, ran an unbranded but praise-laden inn inside the Citadel for weary visitors from Malta. Pity his life ended tragically.

At the same time, Filippo Fenech opened the only known public restaurant in Rabat (Victoria).

The Cornucopia Hotel and Restaurant, Ġnien Imrik Street, Xagħra, by David Moore

Before the vigorous out break of tourism following Independence, a larger-scale hospitality industry had already begun to find its feet in Gozo – the Grand Hotel of Migiarro (Mġarr), the Gleneagles and, in Rabat, the Victoria, in it-Tokk, run by George Said, together with the lukanda Ta’ Axisa, later to become the quite legendary Duke of Edinburgh Hotel. Maybe some others too. Some hotels then doubled as eateries too.

The Tritons Bar and Restaurant, Rabat Road, Marsalforn, by David Moore

The craze for promotion postcards by Gozo hotels, restaurants, night spots and pubs, though not unknown before the Independence boom, took on a life of its own as more and more leisure outlets opened in the 1960s and 1970s – the era of bell-bottoms, the Beatles, fast food, Brigitte Bardot, the micro skirt and backcombing. Some of these haunts hosted the gay scene, others might have attracted the curiosity of the Drugs Squad but never did.

The Odyssey Bar and Restaurant, Marsalforn, by David Moore

Postcard publishers jumped on the bandwagon. These easily split into two categories – those who issued postcards of general interest but, as a sideline, also took on some promotion postcard work. These included the giants Perfecta, Cathedral Library, the ABC Printers and Stationers, Alfred Galea Zammit, SINET Malta and Promotion Services, together with others.

The Atlantis Hotel, Qolla Street, Marsalforn, by David Moore

In parallel, a few specialised almost exclusively in advertising postcards, prominent among them the prolific David Moore, who passed away aged only 57. Vulcan Advertising, Artex and Penprint joined them. They copied each other in style and format, all aiming at shrill colours.

The Eclipse Bar and Restaurant, Triq l-Imġarr, by Penprint

The Gauleon Restaurant, Bishop Pace Street, Marsalforn

Hotel Ta’ Ċenċ, Sannat, by Promotion Services

All postcards from the author’s collection. 

Hotel Calypso in Marsalforn by Perfecta