Scaleback on law banning alcohol sale after 9pm

The law was previously already in force, but several confectioneries were abusing the law.

The legal notice was welcomed by the General Workers Union, after amending a previous law forcing confectioneries to choose whether to retain their alcohol licence but close at 9pm; or lose the licence and remain open after 9pm. Inspections will be carried out by the Trading Licences Department.

Penalties against breaches of the law have now been increased to €5,000, and €10,000 on a second offence which can also include a suspension of the trading licence.

The new law is a scaleback from rules governing the sale of alcohol in confectioneries that the Chamber of SMEs (GRTU) called “draconian” because they conditioned retailers to choose to be either 24-hour confectioneries that do not sell alcohol, or keep their alcohol licence but close at 9pm.

The new law also allows for alcohol to be 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.”

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.