Brits face a holiday nightmare as a popular Italian holiday hotspot is set to ban ice cream and pizza after midnight.
Milan’s city council has proposed a new law that would see the sale of all takeaway foods, including ice cream and pizza, banned after midnight. The move is intended to protect residents from noise and disturbance.
The law would take effect from mid-May and would continue until November. It would ban the sale of fast foods from 12:30am on weekdays and 1:30am on weekends and public holidays.
The council said the move was necessary to protect residents from noise and disturbance.
“A sizeable segment of the population is complaining about excessive noise,” mayor Giuseppe Sala said last month, according to Euronews.
The new law has been met with mixed reactions. Some residents have welcomed the move, saying it will help to reduce noise and litter, reports the Mirror.
A spokesperson for the City of Milan Council said: “The goal is to seek a balance between socialising and entertainment, and the peace and tranquillity of residents.”
According to Sky News, the ban would only apply to outdoor tables in an effort to declutter the streets. Milan residents have until early next month to voice their objections or propose amendments to the law.
In June 2022 and 2023, takeaway drinks were also prohibited in Milan as part of a strategy to reduce crime on its streets. “We don’t want to penalise fun, nor work and entrepreneurial activities,” Marco Granelli, the city’s councillor for security recently told Italian outlet La Repubblica.
“However, we must allow residents to rest and all citizens to enjoy a quality public space,” he added. “It is essential to find a balance in the nightlife and give clear rules for everyone.”
This isn’t the first time that Milan has tried to impose a midnight ice cream sales ban. In 2013, then mayor Giuliano Pisapisa attempted to introduce a similar measure but was compelled to backtrack.
The proposed law will be a disappointment to Brits who relish a sweet treat. A 2022 YouGov poll revealed that approximately 39 percent of Brits indulge in sweets at least once a day.
The sample consisted of 2,531 Brits aged 16 and above. Data was gathered between November 1 and 11, 2021.
