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Locals have bit back at the owner of an Italian restaurant , who took aim at residents by blaming them for its closure in a brutal parting shot. Don Ciccio shut its doors for the last time this week after six years with Marco Claudio Valente angry that his staff were left "humiliated" by empty dining rooms in affluent Highgate, north London . He launched a scathing swipe at people who failed to support the business, saying a day's total revenue would sometimes total just £40. The eatery faced uproar when Mr Valente wrote a bitter final statement, pointing the finger at the community for forcing them to close down permanently. On October 16, the Italian restaurant posted on their website to announce its closure, writing that they hoped it wasn't a farewell, but rather 'just arrivederci' - meaning 'goodbye until we meet again'. But it didn't stop there, and it read: "We may be the first Italian restaurant to close not for bad food, bad reviews, or bad luck - but for the sheer indifference of our neighbours." The message also grumbled that "it wasn't enough" for Don Ciccio to secure a prestigious TripAdvisor Traveller's Choice award in 2023, 2024 and 2025, despite flaunting a 4.7-star rating on Google . "To the community of Highgate and its neighbours - thank you for never supporting us, not even once," it went on. "To those we served during lockdown, when we were the only restaurant open, thank you for never visiting us once the pandemic ended." However, it wasn't just filled with negative accusations and thoughts, as the message continued to commend the restaurant's staff for their passion and "enduring the humiliation of entire evenings with an empty dining room". Locals, however, don't appear to carry any guilt over the bitter exit. Chris Underhill of Prickett & Ellis estate agents, yards from, Don Ciccio, told the DailyMail, just because people are flush in the area, it does not mean that they eat anywhere - especially when there are so many options. He said: "When businesses open in Highgate, they say, 'Highgate is filled with millions, we will cash in' - but the reason why local people are successful and rich is because they're sensible. They will not tolerate being ripped off, although I don't know what the prices were like there. "If you look at the competition, every pub in the village has decent gastro food, some of them award-winning. I've been in the village forever and I never heard anyone say, 'oh you must go'." He added there have also been other bitter exits made before, with a bubble tea company also launching a parting shot. Don Ciccio has defended what it offered, saying the restaurant regularly updating its seasonal menu , featuring dishes including bruschetta, penne all'Arabbiata, pasta al ragu, and pizzas topped with ingredients like porchetta and scamorza cheese. Its resilient former owner now intends to use his previous success and extensive experience in hospitality to open a new restaurant in London, despite disappoint around this project. "An Italian restaurant does not need rich people instead of poor people or normal people. We only need people. It doesn't matter how rich the wallets of these people are," he added. Mario Seyho, who runs local newsagent Brooksby, said: "He's (Mr Valente) upset... Nobody was going to his restaurant. How many times have restaurants at that spot closed down? I know another that has got problems."
