Italy fines seven firms £17m for price fixing of tickets for Rome's Colosseum
An Italian ticketing company and six tour operators have been fined almost €20m (£17m) over illegal practices that made it difficult for regular visitors to access Rome's Colosseum at the standard cost, including using software bots to hoard tickets and sell them at higher prices.
Italy's antitrust authority, AGCM, said the hoarding practice made it 'essentially impossible' to buy tickets for the Roman amphitheatre online.
The Colosseum is among the most popular landmarks in the world. More than 12 million people visited it in 2024.
AGCM said it had fined CoopCulture, which managed official ticket sales for the site between 1997 and 2024, €7m for 'knowingly contributing to the substantial and prolonged unavailability' of standard-priced tickets.
'On the one hand, CoopCulture failed to take adequate steps to counter automated ticket hoarding,' it said in a statement. 'On the other, it kept a sizeable share of tickets for bundled sales tied to its own educational tours, which generated considerable profits.'
This meant customers were forced to turn to tour operators and online platforms which resold tickets at higher tickets, bundling them with additional services such as guided tours, pickups from hotels and priority access.
The remainder of the fine was handed out to six tours operators based in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Ireland, which scooped up tickets in bulk using software bots and other tools, contributing to their rapid disappearance from CoopCulture's website.
AGCM said: 'By doing so, the operators benefited from the constant unavailability of tickets, which left consumers seeking access to the Colosseum with no choice but to purchase them through these channels – often at much higher prices due to the bundling with additional services offered either directly or via other operators.'
The authority did not say how much people ended up paying for entrance to the Colosseum as a result of the illegal practices. The website for the monument, which is operated by Italy's culture ministry, lists the basic ticket price for adults at €18. That gives tourists 20 minutes to explore the amphitheatre's main floor. A 'full experience' ticket costs €24 and gives visitors access to the wider Colosseum archaeological park, including the ruins of the Roman forum, imperial forums and Palatine hill.
Sign up to This is Europe
The most pressing stories and debates for Europeans – from identity to economics to the environment
after newsletter promotion
A visitor cap was imposed in 2019, limiting numbers to 3,000 at any given time. Among those visiting on Tuesday afternoon will be King Charles and Queen Camilla, who are on a four-day state visit to Italy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
4 hours ago
- Telegraph
Revealed: The UK's best restaurant
Its chandeliers, tablecloths and ballroom-esque dining room might make it feel like the set of Downton Abbey, but The Ritz is experiencing something of a renaissance. Earlier this year, the restaurant – which was in fact used as a location for the hit BBC period drama – finally won a second Michelin star, and in 2024 King Charles granted the hotel a royal warrant. Now it has been named the best restaurant in the United Kingdom. Voted for by a panel of over 200 food writers, chefs and restaurateurs convened by Restaurant magazine, The Ritz beat decidedly more modern locations to the top prize at the National Restaurant Awards 2025 on June 9. Despite opening 119 years ago, the hotel is firmly in vogue. Its old-school charm, complete with duck press, beef Wellington trolley and crêpes suzette flambéed by waiters in liveries, struck a chord among the judges. Skip to: The full top 100 list The top five restaurants 'The Ritz is a transformative restaurant,' says Stefan Chomka, the editor of Restaurant. 'The moment you cross its threshold you are taken to a place unlike any other in London or indeed in the UK. In an ever-changing dining scene where newness and innovation are often at the forefront of people's minds, The Ritz is a refreshing counterpoint, sticking to old-school tradition and focusing on a style of cooking that can wow. It's not a restaurant for every day, but for that special occasion it delivers a level of cooking and service that is both remarkable and memorable.' Diners (smartly dressed: ties and jackets compulsory for men; trainers forbidden) are entertained by the twinkling ivories of a live piano while dishes including Brittany pigeon with pea, broad beans and truffles or turbot 'ton sur ton' – a classic French preparation involving two separate sauces – are washed down with pricey grand crus. Despite a seven-course meal costing £221 (with wine pairings topping out at £750), the restaurant is routinely full. Its success at the National Restaurant Awards (having been 'a contender on the list for many years,' admits Chomka), 'is a victory for tireless endeavour, tradition and the eternal appeal of a fabulous room,' says The Telegraph 's restaurant critic, William Sitwell, as well as 'for serious cooking, for the charming but steely leadership of John Williams – and for a lot of very silly and extremely tall chef hats.' Williams, The Ritz's executive chef, has been in the role since 2004. The result marks a surprising resurgence of French cuisine. The more rustic Bouchon Racine in Farringdon, London, came fifth on the National Restaurant Awards list, while the celebrated French chef Claude Bosi had three restaurants in the top 50. It also shows how the nation's appetite for fine dining, despite the ever-increasing costs associated with eating out, shows no sign of waning. Four of the top five restaurants were fine-dining establishments, with scores more celebrated in the top 100. London's grip over the British restaurant scene continues to rise. More than half of the top 100 restaurants are located in the capital, with the city home to 15 of the top 20 and an incredible 70 per cent of the top 10. The highest newcomer, Oma, a chic, Greek-inspired tapas joint, demonstrated that more casual restaurants can achieve success in the awards. Despite the urban dominance, the 2025 awards did see rural restaurants feted. Outside of London, many of the country's top establishments are located in country estates, bucolic pubs, small villages and on farms. The north on England was well represented, particularly Yorkshire, Cumbria, Lancashire and Northumberland. Moor Hall, a three-Michelin-starred restaurant with rooms in Lancashire and two-time previous winner, finished second behind The Ritz. Its chef, Mark Birchall, won chef of the year. Meanwhile Skye Gyngell, who heads Spring at Somerset House in London and is culinary director at Heckfield Place in Hampshire, picked up the lifetime achievement award. 'The inclusion of restaurants serving more rustic French food as well as Greek, Indian, British, Thai, Chinese, African, Spanish, Korean and Italian cuisine shows that the UK's restaurant scene is among the most inclusive in the world,' argues Chomka. But with the win for London's iconic five-star hotel, however, it seems old-school charm and unashamedly French cooking is still puttin' on the Ritz. The top 100 in full 100. Maison Francois, London 99. St. John, London 98. Trivet, London 97. The Palmerston, Edinburgh 96. The Seahorse, Dartmouth, Devon 95. Luca, London 94. Crocadon, Saltash, Cornwall 93. Lisboeta, London 92. Gymkhana, London 91. Planque, London 90. The Quality Chophouse, London 89. Lita, London 88. Forge at Middleton Lodge, Richmond, north Yorkshire 87. Fallow, London 86. Solo, Omskirk, Lancashire 85. The Parkers Arms, Newton-In-Bowland, Lancashire 84. Hide, London 83. The Grill by Tom Booton, London 82. Upstairs by Tom Shepherd, Lichfield, Staffordshire 81. The Black Swan at Oldstead, Oldstead, north Yorkshire 80. The Fordwich Arms, Fordwich, Kent 79. The Little Chartroom, Edinburgh 78. Inver, Cairndow, Argyll and Bute 77. Heft, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria 76. The Muddlers Club, Belfast 75. 74. Sola, London 73. Restaurant Hjem, Hexham, Northumberland 72. Mýse, Hovingham, north Yorkshire 71. The French House, London 70. Wildflowers, London 69. The Clove Club, London 68. Annwn, Narberth, Pembrokeshire 67. Solstice, Newcastle 66. The Kinneuchar Inn, Kilconquhar, Fife 65. Wilsons, Bristol 64. Plates, London 63. Starling, Esher, Surrey 62. The Cedar Tree by Hrishikesh Desai, Brampton, Cumbria 61. Sollip, London 60. Skof, Manchester 59. Morchella, London 58. Cornus, London 57. Humble Chicken, London 56. Gorse, Cardiff 55. The Forest Side, Grasmere, Cumbria 54. Brat, London 53. Chez Bruce, London 52. Akoko, London 51. Agora, London 50. Kol, London 49. Restaurante Interlude, Horsham, West Sussex 48. Opheem, Birmingham 47. Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons, Great Milton, Oxfordshire 46. Dongnae, Bristol 45. Updown Farmhouse, Deal, Kent 44. Grace & Savour, Hampton in Arden, Solihull 43. Jöro, Wharncliffe Side, South Yorkshire 42. Frog by Adam Handling, London 41. The Glenturret Lalique, Crieff, Perth and Kinross 40. Chishuru, London 39. Claude Bosi at Bibendum, London 38. Core by Clare Smyth, London 37. Camille, London 36. Higher Ground, Manchester 35. L'Enclume, Cartmel, Cumbria 34. The Sportsman, Seasalter, Kent 33. Kolae, London 32. Bibi, London 31. Restaurant Sat Bains, Nottingham 30. Row on 5, London 29. Sabor, London 28. The Unruly Pig, Bromeswell, Suffolk 27. Canteen, London 26. Restaurant Pine, east Wallhouses, Northumberland 25. Paul Ainsworth at No.6, Padstow, Cornwall 24. Endo at the Rotunda, London 23. Josephine Bouchon, London 22. Kitchen Table, London 21. Lyle's, London (closed since May 18) 20. Brooklands by Claude Bosi, London 19. Da Terra, London 18. A Wong, London 17. Lyla, Edinburgh 16. Ikoyi, London 15. Woven by Adam Smith, Sunningdale, Berkshire 14. Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, London 13. Kiln, London 12. The Devonshire, London 11. Mountain, London 10. Dorian, London 9. Ynyshir, Eglwys Fach, Ceredigion 8. Osip, Bruton, Somerset 7. AngloThai, London 6. Oma, London The top five 5. Bouchon Racine, London Henry Harris's Lyonnaise menu stars snails, steak tartare, veal chop, côte de boeuf, crème caramel and more. 'If you don't like it, you don't like food,' writes William Sitwell. 4. Trinity, London A Michelin-star restaurant in Clapham Old Town, Adam Byatt's Trinity is still going strong after 19 years. Four courses at dinner costs £140. 3. The Ledbury, London Brett Graham opened The Ledbury, in Notting Hill, in 2005. Having gained two Michelin stars it was forced to close for almost two years because of Covid; it reopened in 2022 and has gone on to win back a full three stars. The dinner tasting menu is £285. 2. Moor Hall, Ormskirk, Lancashire Mark Birchall's elegant restaurant with rooms also holds three Michelin stars and has helped to make Lancashire a destination for food lovers. 1. The Ritz, London Victorious for the first time in the National Restaurant Awards and 'the best example [of top-end French cuisine] in this country,' says Stefan Chomka.
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Eye-watering sum scandal-hit Gino D'Acampo's restaurant empire owed when it plunged into administration revealed
It comes after D'Acampo was accused of years of sexually inappropriate behaviour, which he denies NO DOUGH, GINO Eye-watering sum scandal-hit Gino D'Acampo's restaurant empire owed when it plunged into administration revealed Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GINO D'Acampo's restaurant empire owed £7million when it plunged into administration, The Sun can reveal. The scandal-hit TV chef's chain of eateries was saved from the brink of closure last month in a £5million buyout. Controlling company Upmarket Leisure owed £5.3million to HMRC and almost £2million to creditors. Among them were food suppliers owed almost £500,000, a wine dealer due £302,000 and a pasta company expecting £4,809. A statement of affairs shows Upmarket only has £117,000 in cash at the bank and £320,000 in other assets to try to cover its debts. It lists D'Acampo, 48, as a ten per cent shareholder of the business, which ran five venues across London, Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds and Manchester. HMRC had issued a petition to wind up Upmarket at the High Court and administrators were appointed after a previous sale fell through. Staff were warned about a delay in wages being paid. But the jobs of all 400 employees were saved when the company was bought out in May. Last year, the Italian was unable to pay staff and the taxman after his My Pasta Bar chain wound up with around £5million losses. It comes after D'Acampo was accused of years of sexually inappropriate behaviour, which he denies. ITV has vowed to stop using him. Gino D'Acampo makes string of smutty remarks during radio interview as he returns to public eye following ITV axe
Scottish Sun
4 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Nando's set to open first restaurant in Scots town as fans cry ‘I'll be there every day'
Diners will be able to get their flame-grilled favourites without having to travel CLUCKING GREAT Nando's set to open first restaurant in Scots town as fans cry 'I'll be there every day' NANDO'S has announced the opening of its first restaurant in a Scots town. The chain revealed it is bringing its famous grilled peri-peri chicken to Kilmarnock "later this year". Advertisement 3 Nando's has revealed it is moving into Ayrshire with its first branch in Kilmarnock 3 The chain is famous for its per-peri grilled chicken 3 Fans love the range of quick and healthy options It is believed the new branch will take over an empty unit next to the town's Odeon cinema. Bosses have vowed to "share more details soon" and are "excited" to welcome diners — who previously had to travel 20 miles to the closest grill at Silverburn shopping centre in Glasgow's Pollok. One fan said: "I can't wait. "I'm going to be there literally every day." Advertisement Another added: "No more waiting for the bus for my fix. "It's about time we got Nando's in Killie." A third said: "Winner, winner chicken dinner." Nando's started in South Africa and has expanded into 30 countries with more than 1,200 sites worldwide. Advertisement Named after the son of founder Fernando Duarte, it is famous for its sauces and marinades, from mild sweet barbecue up to extra hot. Nando's looks set to take over the building left empty when Italian restaurant Tony Macaroni closed last July. Nando's fan reveals sneaky hack to get more food for less money... but everyone's distracted by the same issue The unit had previously been home to Frankie and Benny's. We recently told how Nando's fans were left gutted after the chicken chain quietly axed a dish from the menu.
