Late-night shopping coming to Valletta

Shops in Malta’s capital will soon remain open till 10pm for one day a week, allowing them to benefit from the business of late-night shoppers.

The move, which is expected to be announced soon, aims to boost retail trade in Valletta, which has suffered due to competition from shopping outlets in other localities in Malta.

Valletta mayor Alfred Zammit, speaking during a press conference on Wednesday after Prime Minister Robert Abela visited various shops along Republic Street, said that while restaurants in the capital had seen a strong increase in business in recent years, retail outlets still lagged behind.

This, he said, was a consequence of shoppers’ preference for alternative retail venues, such as those found in large shopping malls.

“Commerce is very important for Valletta, but this has taken a different turn in recent years. Restaurants have enjoyed an upward push, but we still need to strengthen retail stores’ performance,” he said.

“Lately, retail outlets in the capital have lost some popularity because shops in other towns remain open later.”

All stakeholders were now on board, however, for shops in Valletta to open from 10am to 10pm for one day a week, likely Friday.

The proposal was well received by both shop owners and residents, with the latter being happy that their town could attract more shoppers, as long as any inconvenience caused is kept to a minimum.

The holding of cultural activities in Valletta at the same time of the late-night shopping hours is also being considered, Zammit said.

He highlighted that retailers wouldn’t be the only ones to benefit from the late opening times, since restaurants would also have the opportunity to attract more clients.

Shop employees should also not see it as a challenge but as a chance to work over-time, if they so wanted.

For those employees who didn’t want to work more hours, shops could consider recruiting part-timers to cover the late-night shifts, he added.