Anger at the increasing takeover of public beaches by private interests

A St Paul’s Bay resident raised the alarm on Facebook about commercial activities encroaching on local beaches last month, highlighting concerns about the privatisation of these public spaces and requesting clarification from the local council.

The post drew attention to the increasing number of sunbeds on public beaches. The resident asked whether the beaches were publicly accessible or privately owned and urged the council to provide an answer.

Mayor Ċensu Galea responded to a post on the Gillieru area, explaining that the government had developed the area in the late 1980s to protect the Menqa wall, create a leisure space, and provide winter boat parking. He said the area was never intended to be private.

Galea acknowledged the recent increase in the number of sunbeds. He promised the newly-elected council would investigate whether any authority had approved these installations but said the council had no power to remove them. He also said he hoped the previous council had raised objections if consulted.

Residents and tourists complain that commercial activities are encroaching on public land. One noted, “They started with six sunbeds; after a week, there were 12. People do what they want here.”

Another expressed frustration with the loss of public beaches, saying, “Everywhere is being taken over. What a shame.”

There were concerns about the lack of enforcement. “The deck chairs aren’t the issue; it’s that they’re permanently on public land as if it’s theirs.”

This issue reflects a broader trend affecting other Maltese beaches like Perched Beach, Għadira, and Comino.

Concern about the future of public access to beaches is growing, with fears that more commercial setups will follow. Desmond Zammit Marmarà, a former councillor and Labour activist, highlighted this in a June article, noting that commercial operators are increasingly crowding public beaches with umbrellas and sunbeds.

The dispute underscores the challenge of balancing public access with commercial interests.

Similar concerns have been raised about Pawlino’s Restaurant, which appears to have taken over public space for outdoor seating. Frustration over such actions is evident, with locals feeling that “everyone does as they please” in Malta.

In late June, Arnold Cassola highlighted the expansion of commercial spaces on Bugibba beach, including the Nine Lives Restaurant and Dolmen Hotel. Cassola’s post criticised the ongoing takeover of public land by commercial operators, noting the addition of more deckchairs and structures.

During a protest in April, Sandra Gauci, Leader of ADPD – The Green Party and Local Councillor in St Paul’s Bay, criticised a legal notice she believed was causing public hardship. Gauci condemned the expansion of restaurant spaces onto public land, including beaches, and voiced concerns about the gradual appropriation of these areas for profit.

She stressed the importance of preserving public spaces as free and accessible, asserting, “We deserve better. We cannot keep fighting for what is rightfully ours.”