Tables return to disputed Sliema pavement days after enforcement action removed illegal structure
Outdoor dining has resumed on The Strand in Sliema, with tables and chairs reappearing on a pavement extension just days after the Planning Authority confirmed the removal of an illegal structure outside Piccolo Padre restaurant. The return of the furniture has reignited concerns over public land occupation, with the enforcement notice remaining in effect.
Structure removed, but restoration incomplete
The Planning Authority issued enforcement notice EC/00122/26 on 2 October, ordering the immediate removal of an unauthorized structure that included a retractable awning projecting over the pavement and part of the carriageway, supported by a metal pillar sunk into the road, plus tiles laid over a portion of the road surface and planters.
Developer Carlo Stivala was named as the contravener in the notice. By 6 October, the awning, tables and chairs had been completely dismantled. However, the underlying pavement extension — the additional tiling laid over what was previously road surface — remained in place.
Two days later, on 8 October, tables and chairs were observed back on the disputed pavement extension, with customers dining in the area. The Planning Authority has maintained that the enforcement notice stays active until the site is fully restored to its original state.
Access concerns prompted action
The enforcement followed complaints from the Sliema Local Council and the activist group Moviment Graffitti, which had threatened direct action if the structure was not removed. Objections centred on the obstruction of pedestrian access — particularly for wheelchair users and visually impaired people — and the safety implications of a support pillar installed in the road.
Piccolo Padre operates from the Centric Hotel on The Strand, a busy promenade where the illegal occupation of public space by commercial establishments has been a long-standing issue. In April, police began issuing official notices along the stretch under new subsidiary legislation aimed at preventing businesses from taking over the promenade without permits.
What the law requires
Catering establishments in Malta must obtain an encroachment concession from the Lands Authority to place tables and chairs on public pavements, alongside a valid operating licence from the Malta Tourism Authority. The framework is designed to ensure pedestrian footpaths remain unobstructed.
Operators face a minimum fine of €1,164 for illegally placed furniture, with daily fines of €50 accumulating after a 16-day grace period. These daily penalties continue until compliance or until a maximum cumulative fine of €50,000 is reached. The Planning Authority has warned that non-compliance can lead to escalated measures, including direct action to remove structures, with costs borne by the contravening party.
As of July, €88,750 in planning contravention fines had been issued across Malta in the first seven months of 2026.
Enforcement persists despite setbacks
The Planning Authority has previously signalled that failure to comply with enforcement notices would result in escalated enforcement measures. The authority's stance that the site must be fully restored suggests the matter remains unresolved.
Civil society organisations and residents continue to raise concerns about the occupation of public land along Sliema's waterfront, an issue that has persisted for years across multiple establishments despite periodic enforcement action.
