Sunbathers have been left fuming after a town council in Sardinia banned umbrellas on its beach, with temperatures soaring to a scorching 40 degrees Celsius. Beachgoers in Villasimius, Sardinia, already have to pay €10 (£8.60) to set foot on the popular Punta Molentis beach.
New restrictions spark outrage
Now, town hall officials have ruled that only families with children aged under 10 and people aged over 65 are allowed to pitch an umbrella. They further infuriated visitors by stating that only one umbrella per family is permitted. Social media users raised concerns about the risks of skin cancer and heatstroke.
One social media user joked: "To put up an umbrella I have to rent a child?" Another raged: "Ah, Punta Molentis: the place where you pay 10 euros to enter... and in return they give you the unique experience of not being able to use an umbrella. A real luxury: sun at 40 degrees, no shade, but at least you can say you have contributed to environmental protection... with the sweat. And then the treat: One umbrella allowed only for families with children or over 65. You basically have to choose: you reproduce, or you grow old."
Another said: "So to come to the beach with an umbrella I either bring my grandad or need to have a child between now and tomorrow?" Someone else added: "What a beautiful day at the beach and a 20 hour emergency room for burns to be treated."
Environmental concerns behind the ban
Punta Molentis, a popular public beach in the town, has only just reopened after being closed since last July when a wildfire started by arsonists ripped through the area. Swimmers were forced to flee the beach, and more than 200 cars were left trapped as they were engulfed in flames during the incident. Villasimius council said the fire and "exceptional marine weather events" had led it to impose stricter rules to preserve the natural beauty of Punta Molentis, which is located within a conservation area.
It said in a notice online: "For this reason it's necessary to limit the [human] impact and ensure the protection of this heritage for future generations." People are also banned from putting up gazebos, tents or other forms of shade providers. The rules will stay in place until the end of October.
Meanwhile, on Jesolo beach near Venice, authorities have removed 20,000 lounger and umbrella spots to create more space between visitors.
