Imola, 4 September 2024 – It was supposed to be a fairy tale with a happy ending for ‘Virginia Alta Pasticceria’ which, after the wedding at the racetrack – the first ever – of the owners, Daniela Ruggini and Daniele Ceccherini has opened two activities in the center of Imola. “We did it at the invitation of the Municipality”, they say, although certainly informal, a real formal invitation is not possible. Certainly it had been discussed.
Yet, a few months after the inauguration, the initial enthusiasm has become a frustrating daily struggle: the discontent of some neighbors and repeated requests for turn down the volume events are pushing the owners and their daughter Virginia Consigli to consider closing.
Let’s take a step back. On May 11, 2024, ‘Virginia Alta Pasticceria’ opened two stores in Imola: one in via Emilia 75, with a laboratory, and one in via Appia 32, with the ‘Bar Caffetteria Virginia’. “We moved from Florence to open the premises – says Daniela Ruggini –. Several locations had been suggested to us, such as the former Bar Bacchilega or the Caffè Colonne (both places closed for a long time, they are owned by the Municipality), but the costs were too high. So we opened on our own choosing the other locations”. The inauguration was a success and the owners decided not to limit their activity to the pastry shop, but to organize events in the venue in via Appia.
“Specifically we organize evenings of Karaoke on Saturdays– explains Daniela –, the evenings were organized properly, respecting the decibel norms that must not go above 108”. Up to this point, everything seemed to be going well. Too bad it didn’t last long. “One day the mayor contacted our daughter Virginia – continues Daniela – and asked her to lower the volume of the karaoke, even though we were in compliance. We reluctantly accepted, setting the volume to 80 decibels.” But it wasn’t enough. On Friday Virginia was contacted again by with the request to further lower the volume of the karaoke. This time in a the climate is anything but kind. “We were told that the police would intervene if we didn’t comply,” says Daniela, “all this because it bothers some citizens.”
Daniele Ceccherini also spoke with the mayor on Friday, seek a compromise. But there was nothing to be done. “Again, the Saturday karaoke has been criticized, which only bothers a few families living in via Appia – says Daniele –, we have already lowered the volume, but it is not possible to go any further”.
Hence, the pastry chefs’ reflection on the possibility of lowering the shutters. “We feel hindered – concludes Daniele –, I find it absurd that the Municipality feels obliged to adapt to the requests of each individual citizen, especially when the problem does not exist. As far as we know, we are in compliance. And we are truly disappointed”.
