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6 News maltatoday, WEDNESDAY, 30 OCTOBER 2013 New ODZ supermarket proposed in Zejtun Lidl applies for extensions JAMES DEBONO A completely new supermarket located outside development boundaries is being proposed along TalBarrani in Zejtun. The farm on which the development is set to take place is described as being "under used" in the application presented by architect Robert Musumeci on behalf of Glenn and Joseph Cassar. Musumeci is currently serving as government advisor on planning policies. The development proposes the demolition of existing farm structures and cultivated land to make room for a two-storey supermarket, an underground store and a parking area. The development covers a site ar- ea of 3,613 square metres, of which 1,925 square metres will be built up. It also envisions the demolition of 726 square metres of existing structures. Lidl applies for extensions In the meantime, Lidl supermarket has applied for an extension of the Safi and Xewkija supermarket, both of which are located outside development schemes. Architect Edwin Mintoff, on behalf of Lidl, presented the applications. The Safi development envisions the development of a bakery while the Xewkija development envisions the development of a 220 square metre playing field. The Safi supermarket, now set for an extension, was controversially approved before the 2008 general election and led to the resignation of one of MEPA's boards after the publication of a damning report by MEPA auditor Joe Falzon. The partially ODZ Xewkija supermar- ket was approved before the last general election despite protests by NGOs. Only 62 out of 7,500 unemployed attracted to a waiter's job MHRA conference also reveals changing restaurant trends, in which Valletta emerges as a growing entertainment hub while Qawra loses out to Gozo for restaurant activity TIM ATTARD MONTALTO MAJOR players in the catering sector, amongst them the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), the Employment and Training Corporation (ETC), the Institute for Tourism Studies (ITS) and the Malta Tourism Authority, agreed that service and product quality remain a priority. But it is not always easy to find employees to fill all vacancies. Alfred Grixti, chairman of the Employment and Training Corpo- ration (ETC), revealed yesterday that there were only 62 persons – out of the current 7,500 registered unemployed persons - who were willing to do the job of a waiter. Grixti was one of a number of speakers at a conference hosted yesterday by the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA), entitled 'Raising the Level of the Quality Service Standards' at the Palace Hotel in Sliema. Grixti said that there was need for a marketing scheme in secondary schools in order to promote the job of waiters, admitting that YOUR FIRST CLICK OF THE DAY www.maltatoday.com.mt the job was not considered 'sexy'. Whilst he praised the role of ITS, he said that the field offered youngsters a career path, unlike other jobs which left them unskilled, and unemployable in the future. Elsewhere representatives of various entities in the hospitality sector discussed ways to improve the standards of service of the local tourism product. "It is not easy to define quality. In fact, we prefer to speak about what we call a value proposition, which includes a good product, as well as a good service," ITS chairman Ernest Azzopardi said. Meanwhile, John Magri, the Human Resources Executive of the MTA said that the catering industry was "as much about quality as it is about service". Karl Grech, the Training Manager at the Hilton Hotel, confirmed that the lowest level of job stability at the Hilton was in the sectors of catering and front-office. He said that Malta offers a decent level of service, but said that sometimes it is difficult to find people that are enthusiastic about offering a good service. Grech said that the Hilton have changed their approach when it comes to employing people in the sector, placing an emphasis on personal attributes such their capabilities within a team and their general attitude to their job. A survey on restaurants' performance between the months of May and September, carried out by Deloitte, was also presented during the conference. The study, which had a partici- pant number of 114, up 13% from the same research last year, found that St Julian's remained as the prime locality for restaurants with 28% of restaurants in Malta found there. This was followed by Sliema (14%), Valletta(13%), Qawra and Bugibba (10%) and Gozo (10%). The survey also found that people tended to spend more – as a result of the respective restaurant prices – in St Julian's than in Qawra. Whilst Qawra and Bugibba slowed a 'slight but not alarming' decline in number of restaurant activity, Gozo registered slight increases every month this year. The research showed that Valletta was slowly shifting from a retail hub to one of entertainment. The survey found that 49% of all restaurant activity took place over the weekend.

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