COVID-19 pandemic restrictions are proving costly to shops and businesses worldwide - and in Naples, they may be fatal to artisan workshops in the street of San Gregorio Armeno.
Located in the historic city of Naples, in Italy, this narrow street is the most famous centre in the world for producing small statues embellishing Nativity scenes, the so-called ‘presepe’, which is present in many houses at Christmas time.
Artisans have been working and keeping this centuries-old tradition alive in this street for generations, but since the first lockdown in March 2020, they are struggling to survive. Recently, after weeks of forced closure, they finally re-opened, but that is not enough.
COVID: Naples crib makers say street for sale
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sei in
Developers want to turn it into shopping mall say artisans
12 Aprile 2021
NAPLES, APR 12 - The iconic Nativity-scene makers
along Naples Via San Gregorio Armeno, listed among the 10 most
famous streets in the world, say the storied thoroughfare risks
being turned into a shopping mall after developers buy them out
amid the COVID crisis.
The creche makers demonstrated outside their closed workshops on
Monday, displaying a placard saying San Gregorio Armeno For
Sale .
One of the 40 or so artisans, Salvatore Gambardella, said they
have come from the estate agents to ask if we want to sell our