Two months after the arson fire that completely devastated it on the night between 14 and 15 April, Filippo Malatesta’s Kiosko il Vincanto reopened in Villa Verucchio yesterday. The debut on the day the national football team made its debut at the European Championships. “We set ourselves this objective knowing that it would be very hard. The area remained under seizure for almost a month, we actually started the work in mid-May and we achieved a miracle”, smiles Malatesta. Who was busy with work until the very end yesterday, together with his family and his staff. “We’re starting again with a temporary structure. It’s not the Kiosko it was before, but from the point of view of services and cuisine we’re missing nothing – explains the rocker, fresh from his election to the city council with my Verucchio list – For us it was important to start again as soon as possible, try to make it to the summer.” So it was. Reopening on the day of Italy’s debut at the European Championships is no coincidence: many have always gathered at the Kiosko to watch the matches. “We have been racing to get back on track from June 15th for the start of the European Championships. We have worked hard… After the summer, we will go to meet the new mayor Lara Gobbi and we will look for an agreement with the administration for the new structure. Gobbi has understood the situation and has so far shown great availability”.
Malatesta would not have been able to reopen “without the help of the many who participated in the fundraising for the Kiosko”. Thanks to the collection launched on gofundme.com, 41 thousand euros were collected and donated. Other money was raised thanks to the big concert on May 1st in Rimini and then to the evening organized in Verucchio to help the rocker start again, Rikiosko fest. “Without the contribution of the many people who made a donation and participated in the events in favor of the Kiosko, my family and I would not have been able to reopen the place in such a short time. I thank you all, you were fantastic. All together we were stronger than those who caused this disaster.”
Meanwhile, investigations into the arson continue. Andrea Mussoni, the former footballer who ended up in prison for injuries and stalking his ex-girlfriend, has always denied any responsibility. On Sunday 14 April, a few hours before the fire, Mussoni had slapped the girl in front of everyone right at the Kiosko and, when Malatesta had pushed him away, he had shouted: “Anyway tomorrow you won’t have the place anymore, I’ll throw four Molotov cocktails at you” .
Manuel Spadazzi
