Milan’s council has backed down on plans to ban the serving of ice cream and pizzas outdoors in the city after midnight to protect residents’ tranquility, but faced widespread criticism.
Following backlash, the local government has U-turned on its plans, with security councillor Marco Granelli stating that the ban will now focus on drinks, particularly alcohol, and exempt ice cream and takeaway foods.
The proposed ban would have applied to 12 districts, targeting outdoor tables after 12.30 am on weekdays and 1.30 am on weekends and public holidays, aiming to strike a balance between socializing and residents’ peace.
The decision to abandon the ban has been praised by the president of the Italian Federation of Businesses, who deemed the previous proposal absurd and damaging to tourism, with Milan having previously faced a similar backlash in 2013 over a failed ice cream ban attempt.
