Details on assistance to bars covering March closure to be released on Friday

Following the news that bars and nightclubs will have to remain closed throughout March, a spokesperson for the Tourism Ministry has confirmed assistance will be granted to cover the lockdown, and that concrete details will be provided on Friday (tomorrow).

On Wednesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne announced that the closure of bars and nightclubs has been extended to cover the month of March as part of the Government’s efforts to stem the spread of COVID-19.

Bars and clubs were ordered shut at the end of October when Malta’s second wave of infections had intensified. Initially, they were set to reopen on 1st December, however persistently high daily COVID transmission rates have resulted in closure orders being extended each month.

Back in January, when Government announced it would extend the bar closures for February, it had also announced a €2.2 million aid package for owners. The assistance given to bars, amounting to a onetime payment of €2,870, was intended to cover the four-month closure between November and February.

Bars forming part of kazini received a onetime payment of €1,860, while bars owned by non-political clubs, such as football clubs, received €1,260.