Tanya Gold Tanya Gold

An ice-cream war

issue 01 June 2013

The Antica Roma is an ice-cream shop near the Spanish Steps in Rome; recently, it served four English tourists called the Bannisters and Their Wives. Mr Bannister was so surprised to receive a bill for €64 for four ice creams that he, or possibly someone representing him, contacted the Daily Mail, as certain tourists do in times of crisis.

It has now rolled out into one of the sillier diplomatic incidents, which usually go like this. A) The crime. €64? That’s mad. Fucking Italians. Do you have a photocopy of the receipt? Can we take your picture? Yes? Look more sad. Fucking Italians. Look more sad. Paul! [Dacre!] We have a story about thieving Italian ice-cream rob dogs. Yes the Bannisters and Their Wives are white. I don’t think they are on benefits.

B) The backlash.

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