After 26 years in business, the Diana restaurant in Riccione is closing its doors. The announcement comes directly from Claudio and the staff of the venue on viale Ceccarini, who entrusted a lengthy message to their customers on social media. It is a farewell steeped in memories, but also a statement on the changing face of Riccione’s town centre, the difficulties facing local businesses, and the city’s tourism model.
“After 26 years, the time has come for us to close our doors. It’s not easy to write this, because within these walls there haven’t just been tables, dishes and service. There have been 26 years of work, sacrifice, satisfaction, encounters and friendships. There have been generations of customers we’ve watched return, summer after summer, and people who over the years have become part of our story.”
The Diana thus bids farewell to a long chapter at the heart of the city and reaffirms the bond it built over the years with viale Ceccarini. “We are proud to have been part of that Riccione which for so many years was synonymous with hospitality, elegance, tourism and quality. And we are proud to have worked in the heart of the city, on that Viale Ceccarini which we have all always called Riccione’s ‘living room’.”
It is precisely on the future of the town centre that the most critical part of the message focuses. “But a living room, to remain one, must be cared for. It must be protected. It must be kept alive.” According to the Diana’s owners, in recent years both the city and the conditions in which businesses operate have changed: “Tourism has changed, the type of people visiting the city has changed, and conditions have become increasingly difficult for those businesses which, for decades, invested, created jobs and helped build Riccione’s image.”
A change that, according to Claudio and his staff, cannot simply be explained away as the passage of time. “And we believe that all of this is not simply ‘a sign of the times’. Businesses need to be listened to and supported. A tourist destination must be governed with a clear vision, choosing what kind of tourism to attract and what identity to build and defend. Because it’s not enough to call Viale Ceccarini ‘the living room’: the conditions must be created for it to continue being one.”
The post then turns to reflect on the businesses that have left Riccione and its town centre over the years. “When historic businesses pull down their shutters one after another, perhaps it’s right to ask some questions. We asked ourselves that question.”
The Diana thus closes a chapter that lasted over a quarter of a century, leaving behind a message for those who will decide which direction to take the city in the years to come. “And today we bid a bittersweet farewell to a Riccione very different from the one where we started 26 years ago, hoping that those responsible for shaping its future will go back to listening to those who have kept this city alive every day, season after season.”
Finally, a word of thanks to those who accompanied the restaurant throughout its history: “Thank you for these 26 years. Thank you for being part of our story. The doors are closing. The memories, though, remain.”
