The country that invented alfresco dining says it is sick of it! Outcry in Italy as many turn against the tradition because they're fed up with the noise and want somewhere to park their cars Some 180,000 temporary licences for outdoor dining were handed out in 2021 By Taryn Pedler Published: 11:02, 20 May 2024 | Updated: 11:07, 20 May 2024 e-mail View comments Italy has long been recognised for its alfresco dining - a local way of life for Italians and an attractive method of enjoying a meal for tourists. But many Italians are now turning their backs on outdoor dining traditions as the amount of street space occupied by tables has grown a staggering fivefold in just the past three years. Locals are becoming fed up with tables and chairs clogging pavements and spilling into parking spaces as well as the increasing levels of noise pollution in the already bustling city centre.
Alfresco dining took Italy by storm in 2021 following the ease of Covid restrictions which saw the process for restaurants and bars applying for outdoor seating licences heavily simplified. This allowed food and drink establishments to stay afloat as the country waded through a time of economic instability - by retaining customers who were not allowed to sit indoors. Many Italians are turning their backs on alfresco dining, a popular outdoor eating tradition in Italy, as they are tired of the increase in noise pollution and public space taken up by tables Italy's Minister for Business Adolfo Urso reveale.
