Riva Municipality Battles Cantonati Over Cristallo Ice Cream Assets

The first branch in the long and passionate dispute that has now lasted four years (since the Cantonati were evicted) pits the Comune di Riva against the once-glorious Cristallo ice cream shop. The latest episode of this tense soap opera — as everyone remembers — was the immediate reaction of the Municipality in May to the victory secured before the Tar. Since the administrative court ruled that the eviction carried out by the Comune (which was executed with the locksmith changing the lock) was lawful, the Municipality promptly sent a letter to Cantonati: setting a strict deadline — just a few days — for the ice cream makers to retrieve, from the first floor of the building, the equipment and furnishings that had never been moved from Cristallo despite the premises being closed for years. Taken outright, Battista Cantonati opposed — through his lawyers — a firm refusal. In response, the Comune contacted moving companies to handle the clearance itself (at the ex-tenant’s expense). However, during the summer, positions softened — also for mutual convenience: the Comune was unsure what to do; Cantonati realized that if he dismantles and sells the equipment himself, he has a better chance of finding a good buyer. And so it will be: in September, we are expected to witness the final act of this memorable eviction. Of course, the appeal to the Consiglio di Stato by Cantonati remains. But here it will only be about damages worth millions. No longer about ice cream.