Måneskin resist doctors' calls to postpone Rome concert over covid fears.

Rome bar owners are protesting over "unfair" alcohol restrictions in the city centre on Saturday 9 July for the Måneskin concert at the Circus Maximus.

The order, introduced by the capital's prefect, bans the takeaway sale of alcohol in glass bottles in the streets around the Circus Maximus area, stretching from Piazza Venezia to Via Merulana, reports Italian news agency ANSA.

Traders complain that the ban of takeaway alcohol does not apply to supermarkets and that once inside the venue a "noted brand of beer" can sell its product freely to concert-goers.

• Italy doctors call on Måneskin to postpone Rome concert amid covid surge

Bar and restaurant owners in the centre also stress that no such restrictions were in place for recent large-scale events at the Circus Maximus, notably the Vasco Rossi concerts in June.

Earlier this week the Eurovision-winning Måneskin faced down calls from Rome doctors to postpone their sold-out show, due to fears of it acting as a "mega-cluster" for new covid infections.

The city's councillor for major events Alessandro Onorato criticised the medics' "specious" calls and confirmed that the much-anticipated concert would go ahead as planned on Saturday.