Paceville pubs and restaurants in uproar over hotel works

Owners of restaurants and pubs in Triq Elija Zammit, Paceville are angered after the street was closed off for construction works on the Intercontinental Hotel. A crane and a large hole have now materialised in the street and the business owners have also reported oil spills, drainage spills and dust entering their buildings.

“The street is now a junkyard and the timing is all wrong, with Christmas just around the corner,” Emperor of India owner Suresh Tarachand said. “The crux of it is that we weren’t even informed that these works were going to take place beforehand. It will harm our business. The works could have been carried out within the hotel or on another side of it where no businesses would have been hit.”

“I had to pass under a crane to enter my restaurant,” Jade Garden owner George Spiteri said. “Not only are these works potentially dangerous but dust from it entered my restaurant. Even with the door closed, the dust entered from underneath the door.”

Spiteri also called for the relocation of the crane, as well as for the street to be cleaned every evening.

“I’m not against development but these works will compromise business,” a business owner who wished to remain anonymous said. “The crane should be relocated to another location up the road, where no businesses will be affected. There are already oil spills in the road. If the situation is so bad now when works haven’t even begun, can you imagine what it will be like when they actually start. Besides, tourists won’t be able to see the restaurants.

“We had a right to be consulted about these works beforehand.”

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Joe Mizzi met up with stakeholders this week to discuss this growing concern.

“According to [Eden Leisure] director Kevin Decesare’s technical committee, the crane would not be able to reach the desired heights if it were placed in any other location,” said Philip Fenech, president of the Tourism, Hospitality and Leisure Section of the GRTU Chamber of Small and Medium Enterprises.

“Also, I don’t think the crane is mobile and therefore it cannot be removed every evening. However, the site should definitely be cleaned after every construction session, as per MEPA regulations.”

The dust issue was also raised during the meeting and Fenech said that a barrier could be set up between the construction site and the restaurants and pubs so as to prevent dust from entering the buildings. Wardens will also be assigned to the area to ease the flow of traffic.