Nine Corniche firms closed

By MOHAMMED AL A'ALI
MANAMA: Nine businesses on Al Fateh Corniche are to be forcibly closed, after failing to shut voluntarily to make way for new development.
They were warned to close several months ago, since their contracts expired, Manama Municipal Council heard yesterday.
It approved an urgent request from Manama Municipality director-general Abdulkarim Hassan, for authority to shut the businesses immediately.
Their contracts have long expired, with the expiry date ranging from April 2001 to this month, said Mr Hassan.
"The place is earmarked for development and those outlets are hindering our work," he said.
"Their stay there is a violation and they are not paying us any municipal fees."
The outlets include children's rides, restaurants, kiosks, coffee shops and a tourist jetty.
Council technical committee vice-chairman Jaffar Al Kaidoom said contracts for six well-known outlets had been renewed, but the others would be shut within days.
Those staying are Fun Land, the Dolphin Park, the Hawar Hotel and Resort Company, which has a jetty on the seafront, a tour boat operation and two coffee shops.