British holidaymakers face £430 fines for breaching new list of Italian beach etiquette rules

British holidaymakers face hefty fines for breaking a new list of Italian beach etiquette rules, including eating an ice cream or sandwich.

Residents and tourists of Sant’Antioco, a town on an island of the same name in southern Sardinia, were shocked by the catalog of 23 activities that are now prohibited on the beach.

The list includes playing sports, using stones to stabilize an umbrella, and consuming any type of food.

The rules, laid down by the mayor of Sant’Antioco, Ignazio Locci, state that the maximum charge for dining is £430.

Residents and local media in the city, which is a popular destination for foreign and Italian tourists, have criticized the restrictions.

Residents and tourists of Sant’Antioco, a town on the island of the same name in southern Sardinia, were shocked by the catalog of 23 activities that are now prohibited on the beach

An anonymous male resident of Sant’Antioco told local media: ‘Does this mean we can’t eat anything, even if we spend the whole day on the beach? Can’t my kids and I buy ice cream and eat it under the umbrella?

One city mother said: ‘Does this mean I can’t give my girl a snack when she joins the city children’s holiday camp? That’s a bit weird.

But the mayor is not impressed by his arguments.

Locci said: “If it can help people comply with the rule, then yes, I am absolutely against you eating anything on the beach.”

“We keep seeing seaside lunches feasting on huge watermelons, lasagna and slices of bread.”

He added: ‘I recognize that the ban may seem exaggerated. But simply by appealing to common sense, our eyes have often been closed on too many fronts.’

The new beach ordinance defines ‘having a picnic’ as a punishable offence. However, the ruling also warns that those who limit themselves to having a snack or ice cream without leaving any residue will also be asked to pay.