A story that seems absurd is taking place in Portici, where a pizzeria was forced to close its doors due to repeated complaints from the residents for an unusual reason: the "pizza stink". The young entrepreneurs who reported the incident are Grace Ardito and Mario Danish, who had invested all their hopes in this place, opened thanks to public funding.
Although the checks by the authorities have always given negative results and the prosecutor's office has archived the complaints, the ASL has issued a closure order justifying it with “annoying olfactory perceptions”. A concept, underlines the couple's lawyer, Maurizio Capozzo, extremely vague and difficult to quantify.
The pizzeria, equipped with a cutting-edge zero-emission oven, seems to be the victim of an inexplicable persecution. The mayor of Portici, Vincent Cuomo, sided with young entrepreneurs, underlining the absurdity of a situation in which an economic activity is penalized for the scent of its product.
The story raises questions about bureaucracy and the attitude of institutions towards small businesses. While young entrepreneurs find themselves having to deal with a paradoxical situation, the local community wonders about the future of a business that represented hope for the area.
The mayor of Portici has sided with the two young entrepreneurs
"We want to thank Mayor Cuomo - said Grazia Ardito - who is working hard towards the ASL to find a solution. He too, like us, underlines the paradoxical aspect of how a public administration can sometimes assume harassing attitudes towards citizens rather than accompanying them in their entrepreneurial initiatives."
Article published on 10 January 2025 - 19:17
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It's really strange that a pizzeria closes because of the smell of pizza, I don't understand how it's possible. People should get used to the smells of food, it's part of Italian culture. I hope the mayor can help.