Policy, Guidance and Standards for Outdoor Catering Areas on Public Open Space
General supplementary guidance table data
| Approval date |
06-01-2015 |
1. Background
The provision of Outdoor Catering Areas on Public Open Space is widely recognised as an essential element of the entertainment and tourism product, as well as an important value-adding asset for catering establishments.
The current system for the permitting and licensing of these areas is however perceived by both the public and private sectors as being inadequate and too complex to be able to deliver the required standard of service and decisions. Applications from the private sector are processed in no fewer than five distinct and separate entities, against a background of a plethora of policies and guidance notes which are often in conflict with each other.
It is against this background that an Inter-Ministerial Committee was set up with the express remit to propose a shared policy for Outdoor Catering Areas on Public Open Space, and to propose solutions for the simplification of administrative processes for the issuing of the necessary licenses and permits for this type of development. The Committee was set up upon the initiative of the Ministry for Tourism and the Parliamentary Secretariat for Planning and Simplification of Administrative Processes, and consists of officials from both these public entities, the Ministry for the Interior, PA, TM, GPD, MTA, and also a representative from the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association. The presence of an MHRA official guarantees active participation from the main private sector stakeholders, not just in a consultative role, but also at the policy formulation stage.
Following periods of public consultation on the five main objectives of this document and the draft policy document, and having taken into consideration the responses received during these exercises, the Committee is now in a position to publish the approved policy document.
2. Documents