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Smoking ban flouted in many small cafes
22 October 2009

The smoking ban is being ignored in almost half of the country's smallest bars and cafes, according research by the food safety authority VWA.

Before the courts ruled small cafés without staff were not covered by the ban only 15% still allowes smoking.

The inspectors checked 6,479 bars, cafes and restaurants between July and October and handed out 184 fines.

In total, some 27% of bars and cafes still allowed smoking, the inspectors said. This is up 10 percentage points on the previous figures. One in 10 have set up a sealed-off area for smokers.

Health minister Ab Klink has pledged to close the loophole which allows cafes without staff to break the ban.

Source

Health minister Ab Klink has pledged to close the loophole which allows cafes without staff to break the ban.

Why is this scenario an issue?

Why?

doobydave wrote:

Health minister Ab Klink has pledged to close the loophole which allows cafes without staff to break the ban.

Why is this scenario an issue?

Why?

Particularly as the whole point of this law is supposed to be to safeguard workers from secondary smoke? Surely it won't hold up in court?

its got fook all too do with the health of the people, just another big brother rule to get the people ready for whats coming, its all about people being scared of the authorities, in u.k we now even get fined for not putting a newspaper in the right bin, its all aimed at the "its not worth getting into trouble over" attitude being drilled into peoples heads + anyone noticed how traffic wardens in the u.k are now callled civil enforcement officers, ever wondered why? its because when the public finally open their eyes the police & military will be far too busy to be dealing with normal lawbreakers, they'l be on the frontlines with their newly issued tazer guns silencing anyone brave enough to question the authorities.
RRRRRant over!!!

As a non smoker i dont mind,& some may argue the brown bars have lost a little bit of there soul with the ban in place as it is.

I was pleased to find two good traditional Dutch pubs that allowed smoking inside when I was there last, although one asked for 2euro for the privilege and gave you an ashtray for the evening, smoking and drinking alcohol right on the bar with a pint or more was fine, thankfully. Everyone was Dutch inside, I hasten to add. Hope they are still open too.

Why can't a coffeshop or cafe owner give its "staff" 1% equity in the shop meaning they are part owners and not technically staff. The figures could easily be "managed" with workers receiving so called profits instead of wages. A 1% profits plus bonuses could easily equate meaning its patrons would legally be allowed to smoke tobacco because there are no staff. The 1% would be redeemed upon leaving. I know there is a fairly high turnover of staff which might make it unreasonable due to legal costs.

It's not easy to fire somebody that's 'part owner', same reason a lot of staff get fired in their 3rd year as owners don't like giving out permanent or indefinate contracts.