Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1539881
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 28 SEPTEMBER 2025 NEWS THIS IS A PAID COLLABORATION The Convenience Shop rebrands as MyConvenience and MySupermarket MALTA'S largest convenience retail network is getting a fresh new look and a new name. Beginning this October, The Convenience Shop will be rebrand- ed as MyConvenience and MySuper- market, in a strategic move to modernise the customer experience and create stronger connections with shoppers in every town and village. With 100 active outlets across Malta and Gozo, The Convenience Shop has become a household name over the past 16 years. The rebrand signals a new chapter for the group, one driven by enhanced value, professionalism, and personalisation under a newly ap- pointed executive team. "From the moment I joined the com- pany, it was clear that we had very powerful foundations and national reach, but we needed to evolve to stay ahead," said David Tabone, Chief Ex- ecutive Oficer. "The new My brand re- flects our promise to ofer more tailored experiences to our customers, wherev- er and however they shop." MyConvenience stores will continue to serve communities with friendly, fast and easily accessible shopping on the go, while MySupermarket will deliver deeper value for larger grocery shop- ping lists. The new brand structure al- lows the Group to meet the full spec- trum of customer needs, all under one unified, scalable identity. "The name My communicates some- thing simple but powerful: this shop is made for me," said Pierre Mizzi, Chief Marketing Oficer. "We really are cre- ating a retail experience that listens, responds and adapts and this is made possible by our sheer scale and a re- newed commitment to operational ex- cellence." While both sub-brands are part of the same family, each has its own distinc- tive look: MyConvenience retains the company's signature yellow, while My- Supermarket adopts a fresh green tone. The overarching corporate identity, in- cluding the My logo and communica- tions, are represented in an olive green palette, signalling unity and growth across the board. This rebrand is just the first phase of a larger transformation taking place with- in the group, as new leadership focus- es on digitisation, price optimisation, store upgrades, and a more responsive approach to community needs. "By combining national strength with local familiarity, we're building something far more than a chain of shops," Tabone added. "We are creat- ing a brand that people feel personally connected to, and one that belongs to them." The rebrand rollout begins in Octo- ber and continues through further in- novations and format announcements to follow in the coming weeks and months. New names ref lect a smarter, more personalised retail experience for Malta and Gozo Planning reform: Ramblers warn against gate concessions THE Ramblers Association fears that a proposed amnesty would grant the Plan- ning Authority sweeping powers to regu- larise countryside illegalities by shielding them from enforcement. These concessions, which apply to de- velopment carried out before 2024, form part of a wider planning reform that also includes two controversial bills. A coalition of environmental NGOs is set to protest against the reforms on Saturday 4 October. What is a concession? The draft regulations establish a system through which owners may request what is being termed as a "concession certificate" for existing irregular development carried out before 2024, after paying a fine. The government insists this is not an am- nesty because requests for a concession certificate or regularisation will still have to be scrutinised by the PA and can be re- jected. Two legal notices published alongside the planning reform bills distinguish be- tween regularisation—for sanctioning of illegal development predating 1994—and concession—a withdrawal of enforcement action on illegalities carried out up to 2024. In each case, applicants would have to pay fines. Fines for a 25sq.m structure range be- tween €3,750 and €10,000, depending on its use. Applications must be submitted by an ar- chitect and include detailed plans, external photographs, and evidence confirming the structure's existence in 2024. Exclusions apply only to developments within a Level 1 Area of Ecological or Sci- entific Importance, a Class A archaeolog- ical site, or a Grade 1 scheduled property. In other protected areas — such as Level 2 Scheduled Areas, Class B sites, or Grade 2 scheduled buildings — fines are simply doubled. This means only a small fraction of the countryside will remain fully safeguarded, with concessions potentially applicable even in Level 2 and Level 3 ecological areas. If granted, the certificate provides crucial protection—no enforcement action may be taken against the specified development, and the site becomes eligible for water and electricity services. However, the certificate does not grant planning permission or any right to alter or expand the development. The only major safeguard lies in a re- quirement for PA boards to assess wheth- er the development achieves a satisfactory "place quality," defined by visual harmony and good neighbourliness. Protected illegalities from enforcement Ramblers Association President Ingram Bondin told MaltaToday he fears the new rules could prevent the removal of ille- galities like the notorious gate at Baħrija, which blocks access to Blata tal-Melħ. The association only recently won a long battle against the gate, when the Environ- ment and Planning Review Tribunal up- held the Planning Authority's refusal to sanction it, after considering documenta- tion presented by the Ramblers. But since the gate was erected before 2024 and is on a Grade 2 protected site, Bondin fears the landowners could now apply for a concession. Only illegalities on Grade 1 sites are fully excluded from the scheme. Although approval is not automatic, if granted, the decision would be final and NGOs would have no right of appeal. "This is not only of concern because it regularises abusive development, but also because it impacts the collective rights of the community," Bondin said. He also expressed alarm over another as- pect of the reform, which exempts certain activities from full development permits— including placing of temporary structures not visible from roads or depositing inert material to restore land contours. This could open the way for the erection of structures located deep in the countryside. Bondin recalled a case involving a large demountable swimming pool in the pro- tected Ta' Baldu area of Rabat, warning that the same logic could apply to gates placed far from public roads but obstruct- ing ancient footpaths. JAMES DEBONO jdebono@mediatoday.com.mt