No new takeaway shops will be able to open
The recently approved Legislative Decree 222/2016 vetoes the opening in the old town and on the islands of new establishments dedicated to the sale and production of takeaway food or to consume on public roads, they report from the Venice City Council in a press release.
However, this limitation is not yet a reality. "It will enter into force when the Veneto Region [the hierarchically superior administrative body] adopt its own resolution on this issue , since the Italian law establishes that there must be an agreement between the local and regional governments," explains Francesca Da Villa, councilor for Commerce and productive activities, from whom the proposal originated, to Traveler.es.
The measure, which aims to limit the exercise of activities incompatible with the protection and enhancement of the cultural heritage of Venice, will not affect the Lido-Pellestrina zone , where the presence of tourists has less impact on the day-to-day life of the city's inhabitants, nor on businesses that were already in the process of opening at the time the Decree was approved.
The objective? Preserve your essence
It will also not affect artisan ice cream parlors , whose openings will not be limited. "Artisanal ice cream, by its nature, is sold and consumed on the streets. The production of artisanal ice cream is allowed because requires a special way of doing it and specific skills" Da Villa clarifies.
The last exception to this rule, which will affect both artisanal and non-artisanal takeaway establishments, will also take into account the so-called bacari, typical Venetian bars. "They are part of the Venetian culinary tradition and have to be protected" she points out.
The objective of this proposal is "mitigate some of the negative effects of the liberalization that has occurred in recent decades in historic centers" , informs the City Council. And it is that they indicate that in some cases this process has been carried out without taking into account the protection of the environment and the fabric of the historic part of the city , especially considering the tourist flow that Venice receives and that endangers the preservation of its identity.
"The proliferation of the sale and consumption of takeaway food has contributed to decrease the level of quality of the products and that both the resident and the visitors have a negative perception", assured Da Villa in statements collected in a press release.
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