A small historic cafe in the park of Philopappou Hill area that has been closed since July 2005 may be resurrected if area residents can convince a new firm to operate it.

The residents said yesterday that they have begun a campaign to reopen the cafe after suing the previous firm running it for making unauthorized changes to the wooden pavilion.

A neighborhood organization will set up stands outside the cafe on February 17, 18 and 19, which is Clean Monday, to offer snacks and refreshments in an effort to revive attention in the pavilion.

Many Athenians head to Philopappou Hill on Clean Monday for traditional kite flying.

The cafe, listed in 1996, was designed by Dimitris Pikionis, the prominent architect who was responsible for landscaping the area in the 1950s.