DutchNews.nl - Café turnover hit by smoking ban

Café turnover hit by smoking ban

Monday 20 October 2008

Many cafes and discos have seen their turnover fall as a result of the smoking ban introduced on July 1, says sector lobby group Horeca Nederland.

Café turnover dropped by an average 26% and discos by 31% in July and August, compared with the previous summer, according to a survey by the sector.

The organisation say around half of the decline is the result of the smoking ban.

Some 15% of bars and cafés are not adhering to the ban, Horeca Nederland says. An earlier survey showed 10% still allowed smoking indoors.

Meanwhile the anti-smoking organisation Stivoro has reported that 600,000 people gave up cigarettes in May and July and that 25% are still not smoking.

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Readers' comments

Here in Chicago in the USA, many small neighborhood bars also ignore the ban too, to keep their customers. After eleven months, there have been NO customer or worker complaints. The only complaints were from people who were 86ed before the ban even existed.

By Bob | October 20, 2008 11:47 AM

Here in Australia simular bans found that although there was a drop initially, numbers climbed again once non-smokers knew is was a nice thing to go out and not have to put up with smoke. Many cafes now find that they have families coming and spending more money.

By Jilly | October 20, 2008 3:27 PM

Well if people switched to the alternative then they wouldnt have to worry about bans or anything. Im a bar owner and have made the switch.

www.Crown7.com

By RILEY | October 20, 2008 6:34 PM

EH...Riley, this is a Dutch news site not American advertising!! The subject is the downturn of turnover due to the smoking ban. No sane European would entertain an "Electronic Cigarette"!! Keep focus!

By Karen | October 22, 2008 2:52 PM

I have just been there last week and am going back tonight for one more day of joy and fun.

I noticed in the places I went to that some people would ask if they can smoke tobbacco and were told - No way.

Apparently you can smoke in a few anarchist bars and places of that sort but the mainstream ones, not.

By Adam West | October 26, 2008 8:08 AM