Italian restaurateur rubbishes claim he's 'provoked' by bagpiper mural

A RESTAURANT owner has called a petition to remove a mural of a bagpiper "nonsense" and says he loves it. 

Mimmo Rossi, who owns Bella Vita on Mosspark Boulevard in Cardonald, says he wants to make it clear he is "not involved in any of this" after a Facebook post about the petition sparked debate. 

We told how a petition had been started by someone calling themselves a "concerned citizen" calling for a mural on the corner of Paisley Road West and Mosspark Boulevard to be removed saying it was "hostile and provocative" towards staff at Bella Vita. 

(Image: Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS) The restaurant sits below the mural which covers three storeys at the end of a tenement block and depicts a man playing the bagpipes in full Highland dress with a stag and Highland cow in the background. 

Rossi said he was in fact "delighted" when the artwork, which is part of the Cardonald Mural Trail, was started by artist of Dan McDermott of Spraywell Murals. 

He said: "This is all a lot of nonsense – I want to make it clear that we are not involved in any of this. 

"I'm very, very angry about it.

"We actually fed the artist – he came in for lunch and to use the toilets, and he's a fantastic guy.

"We were delighted to know that he was doing the mural."

(Image: Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS) Writing on Change.org, the petition starter claimed the artwork is not a reflection of the surrounding area and is causing "community tensions and upset".

They wrote: "It is not lost on the public that a mural that is about Scotland and features a male in prominent Scottish dress is right outside Bella Vita – an Italian restaurant that has been a much loved part of the community for years.

"This mural feels hostile and provocative towards an Italian owned business that has proudly displayed an Italian flag outside its door for years.

"It is imposing a very narrow minded view of Scotland and a very stereotypical view which again, is not reflective at all of its surroundings."

(Image: Katielee Arrowsmith / SWNS) They also called on McDermott to "apologise to staff at Bella Vita".

However, Rossi says the mural is much-loved by his customers – and even featured on an episode of Adam Richman Eats Football, which saw the Man Vs. Food host visit Bella Vita.

He continued: "We've been inundated with people and customers saying they love it.

"We've been very happy that everyone likes it.

"I've been here for 35 years – this is where I live.

"There's always two flags outside the restaurant, the Scottish and the Italian flags.

"People are saying it might be offensive to me because I'm Italian, but that's a load of rubbish. I love it.

"I wear a kilt myself with Italian tartan. 

"I was born and bred in Italy, but I love where I live."

The petition starter also claimed the mural is "a major road safety issue" as it could be distracting for drivers and "demanded" Glasgow City Council order it be removed. 

At the time of writing, the petition is no longer visible on Change.org but it received less than 10 signatures in its first four days.