The city’s commercial fabric is divided into different product sectors. In Confcommercio for each category there are reference branches, including the Italian Federation of public establishments (Fipe) to which all catering, tourism and entertainment businesses belong. President of Fipe Confcommercio of the province of Lucca is Antonio Favaowner ofBeef tavern, in via Cesare Battisti in the historic center. We asked him What do you think of the business situation in the city, in its reference sector, catering.
“I joined Confcommercio several years ago and the city’s commercial fabric has certainly changed a lot in the meantime. Let’s not forget that during these years there was a pandemic of medium that has had a lot of influence, at times accelerated the change, because, when we finally started again, we had to take into account the changes that occurred in between – says the president of Fipe in the province of Lucca -. If I think about my sector, for example, the necessity, almost the obligatory nature of having outdoor spaces, where our customers can sit. This was, of course, already expected and predictable before, but the pandemic accelerated this process. So much so that, as Fipe restaurateurs, we are carrying forward and would like to carry forward with the municipal administration, a dialogue that aims to enhance these external spaces, also making it possible to use platforms or planters or in any case covers that allow them to be used to the best advantage”.
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Confcommercio is about to experience a great revolution following the change of the statute: another president will be appointed who will replace Rodolfo Pasquini. His place will probably be taken by Ademaro Cordoni, who has already been president of Confcommercio.
“Rodolfo Pasquini already expressed his intention not to run again a few months ago and therefore we are faced with the choice of a new president – explains Antonio Fava -. The elections will officially say it, but in all likelihood it will be Ademaro Cordoniwho we all know and is a highly esteemed professional, with long entrepreneurial experience, but also with long experience at the top of Confcommercio, because let’s not forget that he has already held three terms as president, for 12 years”.
“I personally I think it is the right choice at this moment – he continues -, in the sense that experience ensures, it ensures professionalism and I believe that the president is important, but even more important will be the team, the council that will support him. Here, in the council I hope they will be able to find people with the right mix of experience and youth because clearly experience in leading is needed, but in an important organization like Confcommercio, a bit of youthful enthusiasm is also needed, to have new ideas in the face of rapidly changing scenarios”.
There are many challenges facing the city’s commercial fabric and the new president will have to face them. First of all the greatest tourist flow that is arriving in the city.
“It is certainly an evolving situation, the impact that Lucca is having with this greater tourist influx obviously involves a whole series of opportunities, but also problems and therefore you have to be good at riding opportunities, but you have to be equally good at trying to solve problems – declares Fava -. The new president will, together with his collaborators, the council, the councilors and the various presidents of the unions, have to address some absolutely important issues, I will mention just a few: the greater tourist influx, the taxi service, which are insufficient in number to deal with this amount of tourism and we find ourselves in difficulty especially in the evening, getting our customers back to the hotel outside the city. Another problem that concerns restaurateurs, but in general it represents a bit of a business card which is urban decorum. I insist, I return to the topic of dehors, of outer space, because this could really be a topic that the new president, together with the trade union organization that I currently represent, will have to address in the next few months”
Regarding the outdoor spaces, there was also a differentiation in spending on public land in different areas of the historic center, with even significant increases in some areas blessed by tourism. Naturally this led to some bad feelings.
“As I have already had the opportunity to say on other occasions – recalls the president of Fipe restaurateurs -, we don’t discuss the merit, a greater influx of tourists obviously leads to greater revenues, but it is the method that we have never shared. We were, I want to remember, the only trade union organization that strongly opposed this method”.
We go in the direction of greater pedestrianization of the areas in the historic center, all administrative interventions seem to be going in this direction. First of all, one of the symbolic works of this municipal administration, the underground car park outside Piazza Santa Maria.
“I believe that a more human-scale city, therefore a pedestrianized city, it is certainly a more usable city, for tourists, but also for the people of Lucca – explains Antonio Fava -. One of the biggest critical issues is that the tourist flow risks distancing the people of Lucca from the historic centre. Making the historic center livable also through pedestrianization, also through the ease of finding parking, are certainly solutions that we fully agree with. We must facilitate the tourist flow, but let’s not forget that even before that, we must facilitate and encourage the people of Lucca to return to the historic center”.
One of the major critical issues that has affected the restaurant sector is the difficulty of finding staff. For a few years now, restaurants, bars and seasonal businesses have noticed this trend.
“It is very difficult, this is also a topic that we have discussed several times – specifies Fava -. It is obvious that with the tourist season, even if we are not at the seaside, it is felt even more. It is a theme that is felt in the winter, even more so in the summer when perhaps using the outdoor spaces, to have a greater number of people. The discussion would be long, but we could start from the base, that is, from the schools. I maintain that we should have the possibility to meet these kids who are training, to give them not only technical knowledge, which the school is certainly capable of providing, but also emotional knowledgeI’ll call them. That is, make him understand the beauty of this job. Both those in the kitchen and those in the living room have an unquestionably tiring job, but it is a very rewarding job because it allows you to come into contact with people, pass on experiences, pass on traditions, tell the story of what the dish means to you. So really, the invitation really should starting from the basics, from the kids who go through a hotel schoolperhaps they only have technical notions that are indispensable, but they do not perceive the importance, the charm, the beauty of doing this job”.
“I would like to conclude with an appeal – says the president of Fipe restaurateurs of the province of Lucca, Antonio Fava -, there was talk of role of Confcommercio and the constant dialogue it must have with the municipal administrationbut not only with this one because Confcommercio is both Lucca and Massa Carrara. For me, dialogue must always be the basis for solving problems, such as consultation, which can become an opportunity, this in all fields such as events. For example, in the second part of the year we would like to know which events are dedicated to Puccini, which are in the pipeline and which, for example, we can do together. So my invitation is: taking advantage of a new president and a new board in Confcommercio, implement this dialogue that the municipal administrations have to look for the best solutions for this period which is in any case a favorable period”.
