Residents ‘fear’ walking past strip of restaurants after brutal stabbing

By Robert Firth, Local Democracy Reporter

Residents say they fear walking past a strip of restaurants near where a man was stabbed to death in front of his mum two years ago.

Maldonado Walk in Elephant and Castle is home to some of London’s best Latin American restaurants. 

But since December 2021, the murder of 23-year-old Ian Gualavisi at his family’s restaurant there has cast a shadow over the area.

His killers have not yet been found.

Patrick Clifford, who lives near Maldonado Walk, said: “In the last two years we’ve had two stabbings, one murder, one attempted murder and virtually every week violence.

“The impact on the local people has been unbelievable. 

“Repeatedly we see up to nine, 10 people urinating behind the church at any one time.”

Mr Clifford made the claims at a council licensing meeting yesterday, where a restaurant on the strip, Los Arrieros de Pito, was given permission to serve booze with meals. 

He added: “We’ve had gang-related problems here. People are frightened of walking along that area, especially at the weekend, because at any time people who are completely or utterly drunk could attack you.” 

Emmanuel Davis, representing Los Arrieros de Pito, said the restaurant wanted to sell alcohol so people could enjoy a drink with their meals and promised staff would follow all the council’s rules.

He said: “We’re not here to destroy the relationship we all want to have in our community. 

“We are determined to work with the authorities to make sure that everything that’s been said that we should comply [with], we will comply [with] it.”

Pictured top: Maldonado Walk in Elephant and Castle (Picture: Google Street View)