GRTU takes up confectionaries' mantle against 'draconian' alcohol ban

The Malta Chamber of SMEs (GRTU) has written to Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi to complain that new rules governing the sale of alcohol in confectionaries are “draconian”.

“It’s not correct that rules governing confectionaries are changed overnight,” the GRTU said over the rules conditioning such retailers to choose to be either 24-hour confectionaries that do not sell alcohol, or keep their alcohol licence but close at 9pm.

In his reply to the GRTU, the Prime Minister has now said he will discuss the matter with the ministers concerned, but said he would not accept alcohol to be “abused” and that this had motivated the revised laws.

He also disagreed with new legal amendments the GRTU have proposed, namely to have local councils pass their own by-laws designating whether confectionaries selling alcohol should be allowed to open after 9pm.

Ironically, it was partly through the insistence of other small business owners and establishments in Paceville that confectionaries were at the receiving end of pressure to curb alcohol sales.

“If such confectioneries want to operate as bars, they are free to convert their premises according to the necessary compliance,” GRTU vice-president Philip Fenech – the owner of Paceville’s BJs – had told MaltaToday.

So called ‘bottle shops’ in St Julian’s represented a source of concern from bars and clubs in the area which claimed they were being ‘undercut’ by cheap alcohol prices, to be consumed out on the street before entering Paceville establishments – themselves already bound by high compliance standards to operate as bars.

This led to a bye-law from the St Julian’s local council outlawing drinking of alcohol in glass containers in several designated streets; and recently new trading laws that bound confectionaries to close at 9pm if they are to sell alcohol.

Additionally, alcohol sold between 9pm-4am for consumption on premises could only take place in licensed clubs, wedding halls, and commercial premises licensed by MTA as “catering establishments where the primary purpose is the sale of food and alcoholic beverages to be consumed on the premises.”

And the sale of alcohol by street hawkers – also targeted for setting up ‘shop’ on the margins of concert venues or mega-parties – was outlawed in the last trading law amendments.

Philip Fenech had taken a vocal stand on the regulation of the bottle shops: “There were a lot of discussions throughout the last couple of years on this issue with the police, drug agency Sedqa, the Malta Tourism Authority, and the parliamentary secretariat for trade. Confectioneries had been selling alcohol and turned into ‘glorified bars’ when they were meant to sell products to be consumed at home, and not out on the streets.

“This led to complaints of underage drinking, and uncivil gatherings of youths drinking on porches, roundabouts and playgrounds. This was unacceptable to residents, and was creating a seedy ambience in an area that caters for 5-star hotels.”