Anger among Merchants Street shop owners after 'confirmation' that Monti will move up the road on Monday

Shop owners in the upper part of Merchants Street are considering their options after getting ‘confirmation’ today that the Monti stalls will move up the road right to the corner of Melita Street on Monday.

Tonio Camilleri, president of the Merchants’ Street Business Community Association said all 72-member shop-owners were strongly against the move, which, he said, would harm their businesses.

He complained that the government had not notified them of the move, despite a promise made to him by the Principal Permanent Secretary.

“All shop owners are on the same page, we do not want the Monti stalls up the road beyond Old Theatre Street. We want them to remain in front of the old market,” Mr Camilleri said.

He observed that the stalls were currently already further up from Old Theatre Street, having been moved ‘temporarily’ up to Lucy Street two-and-a-half years ago because of works on the Palace walls.

“Today we received confirmation that as from Monday the stalls will be set up in Merchants Street between Melita Street and Old Theatre Street," Mr Camilleri said.  

“No one had even the courtesy to phone us,” he said, while adding that the hawkers themselves already knew which...