GANDIA MARINA IN WINTER
I have just received a note from Andrew Linn (Culture Spain’s wine and food critic) who has just put up a Post stating his (strongly felt!) views on the smoking ban in Spain. After living in Spain for over forty years, few people have a better feel for the country than Andrew and his Post makes interesting reading when it comes to the smoking ban in Spain. Certainly, this is a topic that was due to be nothing less than controversial and is living up to that expectation!
Interestingly, Andrew has just sent me a note saying that:
‘A restaurant in San Pedro de Alcántara (close to Marbella), Asador Guadalmina (which incidentally I know well as an excellent Basque meat place) is all over the Spanish newspapers today – as being so far the only ‘public place’ in Spain to openly defy the smoking ban in Spain. Notices at the restaurant advise customers that they may smoke as the law will not be enforced – until a judge puts in an appearance to officially tell the owner that smoking is prohibited! The restaurant was full to overflowing and two police officers who paid a call after receiving a denuncia asked the owner to take down the notices but he refused to do so. ‘If only more restaurant owners had the guts to do the same thing’ – was the reaction of several, happily smoking, customers.’
Well, Andrew did say in his Post that the ban may be ignored – although I doubt even he imagined that it would be done quite so blatantly…
good for asador guadalmina; he’s really got some cojones. i am not a smoker but the new law could have allowed smoking bars where non-smokers need not enter if they don’t like smoke! the fact there aren’t such places is proof that governments like to ban things for banning’s sake.
i visit the Mar Menor area frequently, as a relative has an apartment there. I got talking to some local builders who say that some restuarants, bars and cafes in inland Spain are barring council officials, councillors, members of parliament and police, and their families, because of this ridiculous smoking ban. The idea seems to be that when these ‘officials’ get fed up of being refused service, there will be a change to the new ban. Anyone else heard of this? seems like a good plan to me! I wish proprietors here in the UK would do something like that. A tax break for non-smoking venues, and clear signage stating if the place is smoking or non-smoking is a better way.
[...] Smoking in Spain – Marbella restaurant defies ban! [...]