Venice bans pizza takeaway restaurants

It's about to get a lot harder to grab a slice of pizza in one Italian city

Venice is cracking down on places that sell pizza by the slice in an effort to preserve its cultural heritage.

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The new law also puts the brakes on new kebab shops and fast food joints from opening, and the ones that are already up and running have to comply with new regulations.

Places selling gelato are spared because the artisanal work that goes into making gelato is something that should be preserved, according to local authorities.

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It all has to do with tourism and the mess people leave behind.

Venice has 60,000 visitors a day, according to Condé Nast.

That's a lot of fast food wrappers littering the streets which can attract pigeons.

Right now, tourists can't eat to-go food in St. Mark's Square or feed pigeons - and if they do, they'll face a big fine.

Officials add since Venice is a tourist magnet, the city risks losing its identity if it keeps serving up fast food from places that aren't selling local dishes.

Verona stopped the opening of new kebab shops in 2016.

The mayor of Venice didn't hide how he feels, saying 'kebab shops' are stealing the city's romantic charm.

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