Protest bars and restaurants: keys to mayors

On Tuesday, April 28th at 9 p.m. the lights of the signs of their activities will be symbolically lit for the last evening. The probable measures that the state will take for the possible reopening of restaurants, bars, pizzerias, pastry shops, discos and beach resorts are unsustainable for the ordinary management of a local and economically unbearable. That is why on April 29, the morning after turning on the lights for the last time, entrepreneurs will go in front of their municipalities to hand over the keys to their premises. Although they strongly want to open and return to their work, today there are no economic prerequisites to do so: "In short, they are asking us to open with the same costs, if not more than before the epidemiological emergency, with a forecast of receipts at best 30% over the previous year," they say.

 

Here are the acronyms of associations and spontaneous groups born on social networks, which have joined the national federation of catering entrepreneurs "Mio" (Movimento Imprese Ospitalità), Treviso Imprese Unite, Comitato Horeca Milano, Rinascita Pubblici Esercizi Rimini, Ristoratori Emilia Romagna, Allarme Italia Liguria, Ristoratori Toscana, Horeca Umbria Uniti, Consorzio Foligno InCentro, RistorItalia Marche, Associazione Pizzaiuoli Napoletani, Bpu Brand Partenopi Uniti with IoNonApro, Associazione Commercianti Salerno, Gruppo Avellino, Movimento Impresa Puglia, Associazione operatori turistici Porto Cesareo, Art Associazione Ristoratori Trapanesi, Carboni Attivi Sicilia, Comitato Horeca Nord Sardegna-Alghero and the national group of Horeca Unita and the Gpn association that join the event (in geographical order from north to south) for an estimated number of about 75 thousand companies.

 

The federation "Mio" collects the realities born at the beginning of March, to ask, even before the decree Conte of 11 March, the closure of their premises for the protection of the health of customers, employees and their own. These groups are non-partisan and unconnected with the trade associations, to which they do not want to take the place of but possibly be the popular base, collecting the feelings of those who have dedicated and dedicate their lives to their activities. The spokesmen of the national federation declare: "At the restaurant, in a nightclub, at the bar one certainly goes to eat or drink something good, but above all to live an experience of sociality, of conviviality that with the measures provided by the government will be completely lost. We are small entrepreneurs, and our activities, often familiar, have been handed down from generation to generation with enormous sacrifices. We work 7 days a week together with our employees, with whom we have a relationship that goes beyond professional". And they conclude: "Let's be clear that we are not looking for assistance: the measures planned for the possible reopening in May, if not linked to economic protection, such as redundancy funds until December 2020 and a moratorium on rents and utilities, will force us to lay off, if not to close down completely, our activities. How can we maintain the same costs as in a normal situation, knowing that our premises will be at least 30% productive?"

 

In Italy, the turnover produced by the Horeca world is 87 billion lire with about 500 thousand commercial activities employing about 1.5 million people, including supplies and services. Unfortunately, it is expected that one out of every two premises will have to close or, even worse, will be sold for a few euros to those who may want to launder money. The support of the community is necessary in the common interest and it is unthinkable to imagine a society in which the productive activity of the small business collapses, but everything remains unchanged for the political, administrative and bureaucratic component: if these activities fail, the consequences will involve everyone. "Mio" is studying a Haccp protocol to propose to President Conte and asks that in the government emergency task force there be a delegation from the Movement to illustrate the real needs and inconsistencies in the current decrees. 

 

The spokespeople conclude: "Restaurants, bars, pizzerias, dance clubs and the tourism sector are the activities that are driving our country forward and at the moment the most penalized. If the State does not intervene immediately, with the appropriate instruments we risk losing the most important economic assets of our country. For this reason, with the demonstration of April 28th, in addition to a sign of protest, the Hospitality Business Movement announces the national day of the Horeca universe with the hope that next year, on this date, we could all take to the streets to celebrate the rebirth, the resurgence, the renaissance, and the new generation.