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8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 OCTOBER 2026 FEATURE one of those wonders of the law that makes you question whether the rules mean any- thing at all. And even when officers can take action, the penalties appear to offer little deter- rence. According to police, fines are so low that some establishments barely feel their impact. Violations become recurrent, with the penalties seemingly treated as just another cost of doing business. In other words, breaking the rules can be cheaper than following them. Even when an establishment does have a nightclub licence, officers claimed that li- cences are issued without prior inspections and that enforcement remains inadequate. The licensing process itself, it seems, is something of a mess. Here's the funny thing—police told Malt- aToday that only one establishment in the area operates as a properly licensed night- club. Be honest though, are you surprised? Police say they are pushing for stricter li- censing requirements and seeking greater cooperation with other authorities, includ- ing the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), to address these gaps. Girls just want to have fun Back outside, the streets of Paceville are putting on a show of their own. The famous stairs are packed with rev- ellers, some making their way up, others stumbling down, and a few seemingly struggling to remember which direction they were heading in the first place. Empty cups and half-smoked cigarettes litter the steps, illuminated by the bright pink lights above us. A techno remix of Girls Just Want to Have Fun makes its way into the chaos, although it's difficult to decide which song to listen to when you're hearing four at once. At least one of them was Pitbull. A girl holding a man's hand ran into my shoulder. "Sorry!" she laughed, before disappearing back into the crowd. Every few metres brings another invi- tation. Buy-one-get-one-free shots! Free drinks! Free entrance! Free entrance! Free entrance! A stripper hands out tokens to passing men. I wonder what that could get you. Only one way to find out, right? A barefoot woman lies flat on the ground. An empty bottle of Absolut stands upright beside her head. Police did their best to get her back on her feet. She rolled over and waved them away. A child walked past, looking up at us as he went. Garbage, rats, and your takeaway dinner Garbage is found on every corner of Paceville, every surface, anywhere except a trashcan, which to be fair are quite sparce in the first place. Personally, it took a 15-min- ute walk to find a place to throw out my empty can of Redbull. Paceville's viral takeaway problem only adds fuel to the fire. After a night of drink- ing and dancing, the temptation of a late- night burger, kebab or slice of pizza is un- derstandably difficult to resist. But, according to Police Superintendent Melvyn Camilleri, the growing number of takeaway outlets along the stairs has creat- ed an additional headache for officers try- ing to manage the crowds. It also makes the countless greased up paper bags and scat- teredd bottles a lot easier to understand. And it seems the nightlife is not reserved for humans. While walking with police officers back down the steps, we were graced with the presence of a rat, scurrying across the street from one hole into another. I turned to the officer. "They are like rats," he said, looking down the crowded street. "Like flies. They are all inside, then they all go outside, then they all disappear." The up-and-coming market of BCRS Among the partygoers is another group of regular visitors. People collecting discarded plastic bottles and cans to cash in through Malta's Beverage Container Refund Scheme (BCRS). Police know them all by name. Armed with large bags and trolleys, they make their way through the streets, col- lecting empty bottles and cans left behind by revellers. Once their bags are full, they return to their cars, unload their haul and head back out for round two. And business is hardly in short supply. Po- lice officers told us that one collector makes around €200 a week from discarded bottles alone. Another, they explained, donates the proceeds to charity. The order behind the chaos Speaking of officers, there's actually quite a bit of organisation happening within the An entertainment district contributing < CONTINUES FROM PREVIOUS PAGE Photos taken by MaltaToday journalists who spent a Saturday night on patrol in Paceville to discover what really goes on in the heart of Malta's nightlife