Portofino has become a living nightmare

I can think of few things worse than being a tourist. So I must admit that I did manage a smirk, as I swelter my way through yet another Italian summer, at reports that the mayor of Portofino has apparently banned air-conditioning in an attempt to preserve the beauty of his town.

Yes, of course, I enjoyed the vision this conjured up of the bling and buy rich who these days infest the bijou little seaside town sweating like pigs – or the poor.

Portofino, then, is a perfect example in microcosm of the carcinogenic effect of tourism on the soul and spirit of a place

‘Portofino blows whistle on air conditioning as mayor leads crackdown’ announced the headline in the Times above an article which began:

‘Nestled in the Italian Riviera, the picturesque Portofino has long been a playground for the world’s rich and famous. Its VIP guests are finding that money cannot buy you everything, though, as a crackdown on air conditioning is threatening to disrupt their comfort amid temperature peaks of 40C.