Bar and Hotel Owners Close Doors in Smoking Law Protest
January 27th, 2011
Around 500 bar, restaurant and hotel owners in northern Spain closed their premises yesterday to protest against Spain’s new anti-smoking law, which they argure is ruining businesses.
In the first protest to take placer since the ban was introduced on January 2, owners took to the streets in the town of Palencia demanding that the law is overturned.
The law bans smoking in all enclosed public spaces, including bars, restaurants and nightclubs and makes it illegal to smoke in children’s parks, school or hospital grounds.
Other anti smoking laws had previously been in place since 2006, however the law then gave owners of small premises the option to allow smokers or for larger premised to provide no smoking areas.
The hotel and restaurant industry fears the law could cut sales by between five and 15 percent overall, while Juan Ramon Garcia of the Valladolid City association said bars have been empty since the law came into force and worries that soon there will be many bars and restaurants for sale in Spain.
Jose Maria Rubio of the National Association of Bar and Restaurant Owners said: “We have been saying for a year and a half that this would ruin the sector and that is exactly what is happening.”
Related Posts
- Spanish Smoking Ban Now in Force
- Final Approval Given To Ban Smoking in Spain
- 100,000 To Lose Jobs Due to Spanish Total Smoking Ban
that is only temporary…it will save lives.