News | Sunday, 15 February 2009

PRINT THIS ARTICLE

Giggs and Neville in private viewing for Hal Ferh resort

Matthew Vella
Manchester United football stars Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville were given a private ‘viewing’ of the Hal Ferh holiday resort, sources informed MaltaToday.
The Welsh and English internationals, who were here on the occasion of the Malta Manchester United Supporters’ Club’s 50 anniversary this week, were shown around the complex, which is set for future development.
The players were walked through the gardens and low-lying bungalows on what sources described as an exclusive viewing for the footballers.
The Hal Ferh holiday complex, which is today closed, is set for massive residential development, according to the local plan for the north west. The plan paves the way for tourism development on the area presently occupied by the Hal Ferh complex, the Ghajn Tuffieha barracks, the scouts camp and the derelict area behind the Golden Sands Resort, for tourism accommodation, camping and horse riding facilities as well as retail and catering facilities.
The development would be still subject to a number of conditions, which include the conservation of structures which have a historical or architectural value.
Neville was formerly a ‘tourism ambassador’ for Malta, having visited the islands countless times and even buying an apartment at the Portomaso complex in St Julian’s.
The footballer had also applied to redevelop an existing villa at the picturesque Ta’ Cenc in Sannat, Gozo, in 2007. His application was to demolish the existing villa, excavate a basement and reconstruct the villa’s ground floor.
The Malta Tourism Authority and national airline Air Malta sponsor the Gary Neville Soccer School on the island, which Gary tutors during the summer.
Air Malta on the other hand has failed to attract any interest for the Selmun Hotel, which had been earmarked for sale because the airline was reportedly losing around Lm1,000 per day from Holiday Inn, added to further losses from the Selmun Maritim Hotel and the Hal Ferh resort. The Holiday Inn was eventually sold to Gap Developments.

Any comments?
If you wish your comments to be published in our Letters pages please click button below.
Please write a contact number and a postal address where you may be contacted.