Protest sparked as umbrellas banned for bars and restaurants on Corso Lipari

Last Updated: June 19, 2024

Explain to me briefly the following article:
For bar-rotisseries and restaurants on the Corso, umbrellas are forbidden and protests erupt. The operators who had placed them the day before were informed by the municipal police. And obviously for the operators, it was another setback. And they wonder “what sense does it make to have tables paid to the city at a high cost and not be able to use umbrellas? Who will occupy the tables for a granita under the scorching sun at 40 degrees?” Among the operators, there is a general discontent and a clamorous protest could also be recorded. On the issue, we requested the opinion of the municipal administration.
“The occupation of public land – points out Mayor Riccardo Gullo – which continues to generate controversy, is governed by a regulation approved by deliberation of the city council no.43 of 31-5-2021. No new rules. In fact, it is the same ones provided for 3 years ago (then suspended during the covid period) and never applied again. According to the regulation, umbrellas are not forbidden at all; they are provided for commercial activities that request and obtain authorization to use public land and must have the same dimensions as the area they have obtained in concession. Unfortunately, many activities, with their umbrellas, occupy a larger space than they are authorized for, risking to obstruct public traffic (regulated by the highway code) even and above all in case of emergencies (for example the passage of an ambulance). Commercial activities – concludes Gullo – were invited to comply with the regulation already at the beginning of last season. But no one had the opportunity to comply even though the relevant regulatory norms date back to the Giorgianni administration”.