Coronavirus: Pub cancels St Patrick’s party after backlash, Gianpula Village closes doors

Updated at 2:15pm with Ryan's Pub cancellation

Ryan’s Pub in St Julian’s has cancelled a planned indoor party to celebrate St Patrick’s day after facing backlash over its decision to go-ahead despite widespread concern over the coronavirus.

Earlier, in a Facebook announcement the pub, which is the birthplace of Malta’s St Patricks’ day celebrations, said it was limiting entrance to the first 500 guests for its party next Tuesday. 

New rules restricting mass events say that internal functions with more than 750 people cannot be held. Outdoor events with more than 2,000 people have been stopped.

The new rules were introduced to limit the risk of coronavirus infection.

Ryan's Pub will hold an indoor party limited to 500 guests but its announcement was deemed to be in bad taste

The outdoor celebrations for St Patrick’s day in St Julian’s, which have in the recent past attracted thousands of revellers, have been cancelled as a result of the new rules.

The St Julian’s council said it will not be issuing permits for the events in its locality.

But Ryan’s decided to go ahead with its own in-house celebrations that were to start at noon on 17 March and continue until 3am the next day.

The pub has faced backlash over its decision to go ahead with the party

The announcement with the tag line “You can’t kill the Party...” was described as being in bad taste and faced backlash on social media.

But some still want to party

Not everyone hit out at the pub with some revellers relishing the idea of a booze-up in what has become one of the most significant imported celebrations of recent years.

Meanwhile, the Floriana local council that organises its own events to celebrate St Patrick’s day in the locality has announced that it cancelled the celebrations.

“In view of the current situation, and to minimise the possibility of any risk, it has been decided to cancel the activity of St Patrick’s in Floriana, which was to be held on Sunday 15 March,” the council said on Wednesday.

Gianpula Village in Rabat also announced it was closing its doors for the month of March.

The new restrictions on mass events have led to the cancellation of the external celebrations of Rabat’s St Joseph feast next week and the annual pilgrimage in Isla with the statue of Christ the Redeemer.

Internal liturgical functions will still be held but limited to crowds of not more than 750.