The British Admiralty House in Pembroke, known by many as Raffles discotheque, a popular nightlife spot in the 1980s, could be turning into a venue with multiple restaurants and kiosks, complete with a childcare centre, according to an application submitted to the Planning Authority.

The developers must retain the existing façade, as per the North Harbour Local Plan that includes the area under a specific policy called “New uses for Historic Buildings”.

PA/00747/21 includes plans for restaurant outlets at ground and first floor levels and a childcare at ground floor level.

Two kiosks will be placed in the grounds along with an external seating area, while part of the site will be excavated to be used as a kitchen area.

The site is owned by the Labour Party, who received it, along with Australia Hall and another site in Pembroke, as part of an expropriation deal in return for land in Marsa used by Malta Shipbuilding.

In 2019, the Party said it was offering the site for lease for commercial use. 

The applicant for the project is Mario Brincat, while the architect is Perit Samuel Formosa.