There has been a simmering controversy going on in Lucca about a new law banning fast food shops from the city center the last few weeks. The NY Times has now picked up on the story:
"Lucca's center-right city council recently stirred much contention, and accusations of racism, by prohibiting new ethnic food restaurants from opening within its gorgeous historical center."
This is definitely one of those "modern" problems that Italy overall is grappling with. Individually it is a tough case - the center of Lucca is no "city" - it is a village you can walk across in minutes, and the value of tourism there for the local economy is enormous (much like the center of Florence, it is akin to being in a tourist "park" for the most part and not a "real" world). On one side it is pretty easy to see how the locals are trying to maintain a status quo and keep Lucca "Luccan" - for themselves and for their tourism industry. On the other hand, how can you honestly tell someone what kind of food they can cook - if you open a restaurant and adhere to local laws and safety standards, etc., isn't what you serve your business? An interesting story from all sides -
Fast Food implies "franchise" and as such would be sacrilege in Lucca. Go Lucca! If tourists seek fast food, they should go home to their strip malls to feed. It would do them good to sit down, enjoy some thoughtful good cooking made from local ingredients, and enjoy the experience of being in Lucca and people watching while you wait for that wonderful slow food to be served to you!
Posted by: Liz Drayton | April 02, 2009 at 05:55 PM