For the past seven years we have been publishing a story every November (and then again every February) bemoaning the fact that in Barga Vecchia at certain times during the winter months it is very difficult to get something to eat or even on the odd occasions, almost impossible to get a cup of coffee.
As you can see from the images above nothing has changed, it’s still non-business as usual. In fact we could quite happily use the same text that we published six or seven years ago to describe today’s non action.
Monday is gradually becoming a black letter day for residents and visitors to Barga Vecchia who would like to have a bite to eat or a simple coffee at some point during the day.
In the height of the summer season, it is not really a problem finding a place to sit down to eat or enjoy a drink but during the winter months it can get slightly more difficult.
November now seems to be the worst month of the year for services as many places shut for a well earned rest after the long summer season.
Inside the walls of the city, the Altana shut today for their annual winter holiday and will not be open until the 5th December.
Just further down the road, the Gelateria also shut a week ago and they too will not be open again to the public until the 5th December.
In the same piazza, the Locanda di Mezzo is now operating a reduced service for the winter .. shut on Mondays and Tuesdays, only open in the evenings Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and open for lunch and evening meals at the weekend.
Lo Scacciaguai is open all week for lunches and evening meals but is shut on Monday.
L’osteria in Piazza Angelio shut for their winter break (after being open more or less 7 days a week right through the season from Easter) and they too will keep their doors shut until the 5th December.
Cafe Capretz in Piazza Salvo Salvi is closed for renovations. Workmen have been working on the historical cafe behind closed doors and blanked out windows all this month …. we wait to see what new ambience is revealed when they open once again.
Da Aristo was the only bar open today inside the city and even with the terrible weather we have been having recently – business was brisk.
Outside the main gates of Barga Vecchia, Paolo Gas Bar was open and again doing brisk business but next door the Trattoria da Riccardo was closed for their winter break until Friday 21st November.
On the positive side, the fact that the bars and restaurants are taking their annual holidays in November is an improvement and a sign of change compared to how Barga used to be, say 10 or 15 years ago.
In those years, the tourist season was very short and more or less covered just July and August. In September, the restaurants and bars would shut as many of the owners took their summer holidays on the beaches of nearby Viareggio and Forte di Marmi.
As the tourist boom started to pick in Barga with many more visitors coming to the city, the season expanded to include June, September and a good part of October and so shutting their businesses during those months meant losing a good deal of trade.
For the past couple of years the Baristi and Restaurateurs have moved their holidays into the slack month of November allowing them a well earned rest before the hectic Christmas, New Year and Befana season.
The beaches of Viareggio and Forte di Marmi are cold, windy and deserted during November and so many started taking advantage of the cheap air flights on offer out of season and going to sunnier climes out of Italy.
On the negative side, there seems to be no mechanism in place to stagger their holidays so that at least one bar or restaurant is open in Barga Vecchia during certain days in November.
Any visitor arriving in Barga Vecchia this morning will have found no restaurants open to the public. For a city hoping to base a good part of its future on sensible tourism, this is not a good message we are giving out.
Hopefully this will be the last time that this article will have to be published on barganews – somebody please, please take note and lets start discussions about this problem.