The Deputy Ministry of Tourism is on the path of reform, focusing now on updating legislation governing the island’s entertainment establishments.
Consultations are almost over and the proposed legislation should be ready to be sent to the Legal Service for scrutiny next month, Phileleftheros reports.
Apart from structural changes concerning the licensing process and categorisation of entertainment establishments, the aim is to also upgrade their standard, according to insiders.
Deputy Minister Savvas Perdios wants to put an end to plastic chairs, as well as to the unchecked use of the word “tavern”.
At the same time, the existing 10 categories of entertainment establishmentswill be reduced to three with takeaway outlets also coming under this legislation.
Catering and entertainment establishmentss today are divided into 10 categories depending on the nature of service offered to clients. The categories are: Restaurants, Taverns, Cafes or Pizzerias, Pubs or Bars, Music Centres, Discos, Snack Bars and Cabarets.
A catering and entertainment establishments can fall into one or more of these categories. And each category’s centre is divided into classes (A, B and C) depending on the nature of the premises, the value and quality of construction, furnishings, equipment and level of amenities and services provided.
The Deputy Ministry wants to simplify licences into three categories: those offering fast service (cafes), integrated service (for example pubs and restaurants) and nightclubs.
One proposed amendment provides for the operation licence to be posted at the entrance of the place, and another allows entertainment establishments to obtain a temporary licence until final permits come from the Town Planning Department.
Another legislative innovation is the inclusion of takeaways. While there are over 3,500 takeaway outlets today, these do not come under the umbrella of this legislation.
The aim is to also upgrade the sector’s quality with the Deputy Ministry banning plastic chairs, but also the word tavern or traditional restaurant if the premises do not provide local cuisine.
In addition, a tender competition process should be completed soon paving the way for a professional company to monitor the collection of online reviews on the quality of the island’s entertainment establishments.
Substantially, this company will collect customer reviews posted on travel platforms – such as trip advisor – and monitor the level of satisfaction of tourists with restaurants, hotels, theme parks and archaeological sites.
By Demetra Landou
Read more:
https://in-cyprus.com/star-rating-for-restaurants-in-cyprus/
