Floods and coronavirus leave legendary Venice
cafe facing ruin
AFP
news@thelocal.it
@thelocalitaly
19 December
2020
11:59
CET+01:00
https://www.thelocal.it/20201219/floods-and-coronavirus-leave-legendary-venice-cafe-facing-ruin
Caffè
Florian, the oldest watering hole in Venice and a mecca for writers, artists
and politicians, had hoped to spend December planning its 300th birthday party
- but instead faces ruin.
The
coronavirus pandemic has turned the world-famous Italian city into a ghost town
and, following on from last year's floods, left the popular cafe on St Mark's
Square in dire straits.
"We
will stay open for as long as we can, but we can do not more than that,"
managing director Marco Paolini told reporters on Friday, in a public appeal
for government help.
"Venice
is on its knees," he said, and "the activity of the Florian has been
devastated".
Founded on
December 29th 1720 by Floriano Francesconi, the cafe's clients have included
everyone from Wagner and Proust to Nietzsche, Charlie Chaplin and Andy Warhol.
These days
it employs around 80 people, including the multilingual and always impeccably
dressed waiters in their white tails.
"We
wanted to organise a big cultural event to celebrate our 300th anniversary, but
it was cancelled," Paolini said.
Venice
suffered a major setback last year when the tides reached historic levels,
flooding the city. It was only just getting back on its feet when Covid-19 hit.
Since then,
the absence of tourists -- the city's main source of income -- has plunged it
into one of its darkest years in recent history.
"We
are asking for help," said the manager, who represents a group of partners
who own the cafe.
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