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Julian Manduca
For Malta’s better restaurants and bars, the new catering regulations set to come into force 1 January 2005 will not be a cause of much concern. For those, however, who have given scant importance to facilities and standards, the new rules will constitute a revolution. Many of Malta’s nightclubs, discotheques, restaurants, bars, snack bars and kiosks were never designed with EU style standards in mind. The traditional village men’s bars with the most rudimentary of amenities and toilets are being called on to shape up.
Among the measures being introduced which will seem strange to many of our poor quality catering establishments are: a yearly evacuation exercise to be organised for the staff; a notice of the maximum number of patrons to be affixed at the entrance; non-slip kitchen floors; the prohibition of eating in kitchens; soap on dispenser, toilet paper, clothes hook, a mirror and a toilet brush to be made available in each toilet; women’s toilets to have sanitary bins; and staff is to wear clean and ironed clothes.
Julian Manduca
The traditional men’s bars in Malta’s towns and villages could find themselves foul of new regulations come 2005, MaltaToday has learned. The meeting places for elderly, and not so elderly men, drinking tea from a glass or wine mixed with 7-Up, and eating hobzas and pastizzi were never designed with EU style standards in mind, and many of them may find it extremely difficult to come to terms with new regulations. These bars have become a symbol of Maltese life, places were gossip and humour is rife, and where men feel more comfortable to speak about things they would rather not in their homes. Women rarely venture into these havens for men and should one walk in, the impact is often not merely limited to a quick turn of men’s heads.
These bars are usually simple affairs, with a minimum fare on offer, sometimes without refrigeration, and usually with the most rudimentary toilet facilities on public offer.
The good news is that come 1 January 2005, shabby bars and restaurants should be a thing of the past, if the authorities enforce the new catering establishments regulations. Introduced by Legal Notice on 20 April of this year, the Catering Establishments Regulations, 2004 amend the Malta Travel and Tourism Services Act and are intended to improve the quality of customers’ experiences in catering establishments: bars, discos, kiosks, nightclubs, restaurants, and snack bars.
Introduced by Tourism minister Francis Zammit Dimech as “regulations which reflect today’s needs,” they will be welcomed by many but some restaurants snack bars, kiosks, discos and nightclubs may find them difficult to come to terms with.
The fines for non-compliance with the new regulations could reach a maximum of Lm1,000, not an exorbitant sum, but one that could become untenable should an establishment find itself on the wrong side of the law often.
The regulations are fairly basic and what one would normally expect to find in establishments all over Europe, but at least one restaurant owner told this newspaper he cannot afford to make the changes, which he estimated will cost in the region of Lm6,000 and would shut his restaurant down.
All catering establishments are to be classified in classes, with restaurants enjoying three classes, bars and snack bars two and nightclubs and kiosks classified as ‘standard.’
The regulations do not cover establishments in hotels, but are to be applicable to all other premises “whether buildings, kiosks or similar, including land and, or sea crafts, used as catering establishments howsoever known under any designation.”
Each and every one of us must have had the experience of going into restaurants that do not display a menu outside their premises, and fast food outlets that fail to display their price lists, but the new regulations should change all that.
The regulations call for all operators of catering establishments to either have qualifications or experience in the catering industry “as considered to be adequate,” by the Malta Tourism Authority.
All catering establishments should ensure they have adequate space for the storage of waste, according to the new regulations and “Waste shall not be placed outside catering establishments.”
MaltaToday took a look at what each sector can expect, and the rules and regulations listed are by no means comprehensive.
Restaurants
All restaurants of all classes are to keep their name display in a good condition and well lit at night. They should all indicate the maximum capacity of guests “within the premises entrance.”
The facades of all restaurants should be kept clean, as well as the entrance doors, which should be kept in a good condition. A copy of the menu is to be displayed outside the restaurant and suitably lit in the dark – all additional charges should be indicated on the outside menu. Business hours are also to be displayed outside each restaurant. First class restaurants are required to have phone facilities for client’s use. All first and second class restaurants should have a lift if the premises is of three floors or more including the ground floor, unless the restaurant is considered by MEPA to be a heritage building.
All first and second class restaurants should accept payment by credit card and accept reservations in advance.
The regulations for restaurants include further rules about the entrance area, cloakroom facilities, lounge areas for first class restaurants; the menu; bread service; wine list; wine service; other offered services; dining areas – which specifies area per seated person; separate no smoking areas for first class restaurants; comfort and table accessories; bar; kitchen – a non slip kitchen floor is specified, food preparation, safety and toilet facilities. All first and second class restaurants are bound to have separate toilets for men and women; and all restaurants are to have wash hand basins with a continuous supply of hot and cold water.
The regulations also set standards for the staff; all restaurant staff are to be well groomed, “reflecting the standard of the catering establishment.’ All the waiting staff in all restaurants should be able to speak English and in first class restaurants a supervisor should speak two languages other than Maltese – although the reasoning behind this is self evident, it is not too clear what use it would be if those two languages were Swahili and Eritrean.
All new first class restaurants are to include a changing room with lockers available for their staff and in first and second class restaurants all staff members are to have had some recognised training, and be trained regularly during their employment.
Snack bars
Snack bars of any class are to properly display their names and ensure they are lit at night, the maximum number of guests should be displayed within the premises entrance. The facades of all snack bars should be kept clean, as well as the entrance doors, which should be kept in a good condition. A copy of the menu is to be displayed outside the restaurant and suitably lit in the dark – all additional charges should be indicated on the outside menu. Business hours are also to be displayed outside each snack bar.
‘No exit’ signs are to be displayed on all doors that are not meant for evacuating a premises, and all staff are to undergo a staff evacuation exercise and the owners of the bars are maintain shortest designated exit routes.
For some reason while all snack bars in tourism zones are to have menus including a display in English, second class bars do not have to have a well presented menu or serve bread.
Other regulations for snack bars list the number of beer spirits and non-alcoholic drinks to be on offer, and cover: fire safety; maintenance; the size of the dining area, comfort, table linen; serving counter and snack display; food preparation – which includes a proviso that eating and smoking is forbidden in the kitchen; sanitary facilities; cold storage; fire safety; and maintenance. All the staff are to be trained in the use of fire fighting equipment.
Only first class snack bars will be forced to have separate toilets for men and women, but unlike what is often the case all snack bars will have to provide a sufficient supply of toilet paper; wash hand basins with a continuous supply of hot and cold water; soap on dispenser; disposable hand drying facilities; a mirror with suitable lighting; and a sanitary bin for women’s toilets in each cubicle, among others.
The staff at snack bars is to have clean and ironed clothes and in first class snack bars all staff members have to be in possession of evidence indicating that they have been trained – while training is to be provided on a regular basis.
Bars
It may be bars – especially second class bars - that will experience most difficulty in complying with the new regulations. All bars are to have a price list in English. Bars that are licensed to serve alcoholic drinks, and most must have that license, are to ensure, come 1 January 2005 that they have a wine list for red, white and rose wines; that they keep wine and champagne chilled. In the bar area they will be required to have a wash hand basin with a continuous supply of hot and cold water and will have to provide ice-cubes – no bar will be able to get away without refrigeration. They will also have to have a coffee machine as well as an espresso machine.
All bars will have to provide waste receptacles for customers refuse, whatever that may be, and have visible signposting to toilets.
Only first class bars are to provide separate toilets for men and women, but all bars should have a toilet brush in each cubicle, a clothes hook in each compartment, sufficient supply of toilet paper, a soap on dispenser, a wash hand basin with a continuous supply of hot and cold water, disposable individual paper or tissues; a mirror with suitable lighting, a sanitary bin with lid for female toilets and in the case of first class bars, sanitary bags for female toilets.
All bar staff are to wear clean and ironed clothes, and in first class bars uniforms have to be worn. In all bars, waiting staff are to be able to speak English and for fire safety reasons the maximum number of covers is to be specified in each enclosed public area. All the staff are to be trained in the use of fire-fighting equipment and once a year a staff evacuation exercise is to be carried out. On all doors that are not exits, the sign ‘No Exit’ is to be displayed.
Other regulations cover maintenance, product storage and other fire safety rules.
Discotheques and Nightclubs
Come 1 January 2005 all discos and nightclubs will have to have an assisted cloakroom facility and a security guard service. According to the new regulations: “if amplified music is provided, the Authority (MTA) may require the licensee and the operator to install a noise pollution control apparatus inside the premises.
“Licensees and operators of premises were amplified music is played shall submit to the Authority, prior to the issue and renewal of the licence, a declaration by a competent authority certifying that the noise pollution control apparatus used in the premises conforms to the conditions imposed by the competent authority.”
Discos and nightclubs will have to install water closets in separate lockable cubicles, sanitizers for sterilising toilet seats, and sanitary bins and bags for female toilets. All toilets are to be covered with an impervious material.
The regulations require that all exits should lead to a public road or an open space; and that mirrors or glass that may produce misleading reflections, shall not be situated at establishment’s exits.
Emergency lighting will have to be installed in all evacuation ways, and emergency lights must be visible night and day. Evacuation charts are to be affixed adjacent to lifts, or stairs and visible day and night.
Kiosks
Some Maltese Kiosks are well known for their shabbiness and they will have to start shaping up. All will have to have their names displayed in a good condition and well lit at night. A copy of the menu and price list is to be displayed outside each kiosk and list any additional charges.
Menus should be in English in tourist zones and list all available dishes. The cold display should be at 10 degrees centigrade or less, and the hot display at 65 degrees or more, if on offer. All fresh products are to be kept covered and an extractor hood is required if food is heated or prepared in kiosk. The staff is to wear clean and ironed clothes, no smoking is allowed inside the kiosk and all staff engaged in food handling are to wear a head cap and overalls.
If the kiosk had running water it is to have a supply of hot and cold and where no drainage facilities are available a holding tank has to be provided. There is to be no discharge of water or other residue onto the street or pavement.
All food that is not prepared on premises is to be obtained from licensed manufacturers, and sugar, cream, mustard, ketchup, and similar must be either individually packed or served from an appropriate dispensing device. All kiosks are to keep a properly equipped first aid box and provide waste bins in the vicinity. Other conditions include those related to the kitchen, fire and safety and maintenance.
The new regulations have been welcomed by the GRTU and speaking to MaltaToday, the president of its Hospitality and Leisure section, Philip Fenech, told MaltaToday: “The GRTU has discussed these regulations with the authorities for a number of month and is suggesting that they should not be introduced guillotine style come 1 January.
“Given the financial situation the particular characteristics of certain establishments, there should be a period of time allowed for regularisation.”
The GRTU has also been given to understand that there is some kind of unwritten undertaking that the regulations will not be used to destroy the attractive characteristics of certain traditional bars, including the so-called ‘tetotla’ bars. “The idea should not be to penalise establishments,” Fenech said, “but rather to improve the quality of facilities and service.”
Currently Malta boasts 623 restaurants, 373 snack bars or take aways, 1,906 bars, 19 fixed kiosks and 43 mobile kiosks on fixed sites.
julian@newsworksltd.com
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