Call for outdoor cafés to be non-smoking
Waverley cafés and restaurants with more than 10 outdoor seats should provide a non-smoking area according to Waverley councillor Kerryn Sloan.
The measure would apply to cafés and restaurants that use council land for outdoor seating. “Fifty percent of the outdoor seating should be non-smoking,” said Cr Sloan. “We see a lot of people dining, while next to them somebody is having a cigarette. I think nobody likes to sit in the smoke while having dinner.”
Cr Sloan said most café-owners would not have a problem with the requirement.
“A lot of them tell me they lose customers because people are smoking. They see people coming in for just coffee and a cigarette, while families are having a meal next to them. This scares away a lot of people.”
Arthur Primetis of Arthur’s Pizza in Bondi Junction is one owner who agrees with Cr Sloan and has already put in an application to adopt the practice.
“I think it’s a great idea. A lot of families with kids come to my restaurant, and these are good customers,” Primetis said. “You just can’t have smoking when kids are around. Once you create two areas everybody is happy, smokers and non-smokers.”
The measure would mean restaurants and cafés would not be given a new lease before they created a non-smoking area. It won’t affect hotels as most of them already have designated non-smoking areas.
– BY ADRIAAN ZEGERS
