Rome, Spanish Steps invaded by tea room tables. And there is controversy

The Urban Police Regulation of Roma Capitale, which came into force in July last year, speaks clearly: “bivouacking” is included among the behaviors prohibited in public places, where “bivouacking” means “standing in a public place in an unseemly manner and/or contrary to decorum, as well as sitting, including consuming food and/or drink on historical, artistic, archaeological and monumental heritage assets (fountains and stairways of relevance, archaeological relics) and on public (streets, alleys, squares) or private land.” Penalty, a fine of up to 400 euros. All in the name of decorum, as would be inferred from the same regulation. In short: one cannot sit on the steps of the Spanish Steps, but social users now wonder if the principle of decorum is violated when invading the Spanish Steps by obscuring the view of Trinità dei Monti are not tourists or citizens, but a forest of tables of a tea room.

In fact, it happens that, in this bizarre summer dominated by the Covid-19 pandemic, one of the capital’s most famous tea rooms, Babington’s, has opened a “new dehor” (as Babington’s calls it on its social profiles, probably thinking that the final “s” of “dehors” is a plural): in reality, they have simply occupied a part of the square with tables and chairs, all resting directly on the sampietrini. Nothing illegitimate, at least for this summer: one of the measures introduced in May with the " Decreto Rilancio " is the suspension of superintendence authorizations for venue dehors, designed to promote the resumption of activities after the months of confinement. In presenting the measure, the minister of cultural heritage, Dario Franceschini, had explained that the suspension of the authorization regime would serve to make interventions easier, that it would concern reversible interventions (such as the one at Babington’s), and that it would last only for three months.

Babington’s, a tea room with a long history (it was in fact opened in 1893 as a meeting place for the Anglo-Saxon community in Rome by two English girls, Isabel Cargill and Anna Maria Babington), presented the dehors in these terms: “We have opened a space dedicated to you, your high teas and aperitifs watching the Spanish Steps of Trinità dei Monti tinged with sunset, every evening of the month of August. Our new dehor and tea room will be open to let you savor the Roman summer in all its beauty!” In short, until the end of the month, those who want to can have tea or coffee with the soles of their shoes resting directly on the pavement of the Spanish Steps at Babington’s tables, conveniently separated from the rest of the square by velvet ropes.

The “surprise” has certainly been welcomed by many (there are even those who hope that the dehors will be kept even in the post-Covid era!), but the impact on the aesthetics of the square has led many to turn up their noses. There are those who softly write that they prefer “the interior, tea room atmosphere.” There are those who consider the disadvantages of the location en plein air, including the fact that there is no shelter from the sun or rain, and the cobblestones heated all day by the August Roman sun are not exactly the ultimate refreshment. Others, however, are not so subtle. “Doesn’t that seem a hair too much?” wonders Marina. “With the complicity of Roma Capitale,” writes Daniele, “you have ruined the square with these four stools, you flaunt it on social media and people are also happy. How sad ... and also how disgusting I would say.” “Sitting on the steps no, but invading a historic square with chairs and tables yes?” wonders Valerio. Cristiana is already going hard: “you are really sharks, attentive not to the decorum of the place but only to the money. Horrendous what you have done. As a tour guide, I will never again recommend your tea room, which has descended to the level of a suburban coffee shop.”

In any case, to return to see Piazza di Spagna cleared will have to wait until September: at the moment, according to many, the rules on decorum, at least for tables and chairs, seem to have been suspended...

Pictured is the photo posted by Babington’s on Facebook to present the new stunt.

Rome, Spanish Steps invaded by tea room tables. And there is controversy

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