Eviction of historic bar is "inevitable"

The widely-publicised threat of eviction hanging over Caffé della Pace is now back on the cards, despite the recent agreement reached with the landlord of the premises, the Pontifical Teutonic Institute.

Only ten days ago the bar's supporters had celebrated after a meeting with city councillors prompted the German religious institute on nearby Via di S. Maria dell'Anima to state it was willing to recognise "the historical value of the business."

However eviction is now "inevitable" according to Giulio Anticoli, president of the Botteghe Storiche association which has spearheaded the battle to save the historic bar from being turned into a luxury hotel.

"I learn with bitterness from the lawyer defending the tenants of Caffè della Pace that the Pontifical Teutonic Institute has confirmed its desire to enforce the court order – said Anticoli – therefore eviction of the premises is inevitable."

Anticoli said that a new meeting with city councillors takes place on 8 April, the latest chapter in a high-profile campaign that has seen thousands of supporters sign a petition to halt the eviction of the bar which over the decades has attracted celebrities such as Federico Fellini, Bill Clinton, Al Pacino and Madonna.

The threat of eviction has loomed over the bar since 2009 when the religious institution failed to renew the lease, leading to a series of court disputes between the landlord and the family that has run the bar for over 40 years.