Melbourne pubs ban food outside so smokers can light up

MELBOURNE pubs and restaurants are banning food from their outdoor spaces and converting them into smoking-only zones as they grapple with recently introduced smoking laws.

Eaton Mall customer Dimosthenis Kartsiounis enjoying a cigarette with his meal. Picture: Josie Hayden

MELBOURNE pubs and restaurants are banning food from their outdoor spaces and converting them into smoking-only zones as they grapple with recently introduced smoking laws.

The legislation, which ban patrons from lighting up in outdoor dining areas, has angered customers on both sides but venues say keeping smokers happy outweighs the cost of lost meal sales.

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The Cherry Tree in Richmond and Elwood Lounge have stopped serving food outside during certain times of the day.

Elwood Lounge owner Kumar Savundra said the change has cost him customers but that turning away smokers would be bad for business.

“The rule is very harsh. It is unfairly penalising the hospitality industry,” he said.

Toby Kingsley, manager at The Cherry Tree, said: “It’s a heavy imposition on us to police this. You can’t always control where people smoke but you can control where we serve food.”

Elwood Lounge chef Will Rooke in the smoking courtyard. Picture: Nicki Connolly

Quit Victoria Director Dr Sarah White criticised pubs which alter smoking times to suit trade rather than help reduce public smoking.

“Venues need to take a good look at themselves and ask if they are doing the right thing by their staff and the community.”

Councils are also up in arms over the laws which have been deemed difficult to manage and enforce.

Glen Eira Council is calling on the State Government to review the ban to clear up confusion among traders and patrons.

Some bars fear the impact of alienating smokers.

Mayor Mary Delahunty said: “We’ve noticed that traders and groups of traders are not acting within the spirit of the laws, which can be manipulated too much and are over ambiguous.”

The council is seeking the support of other councils at the Municipal Association of Victoria state council this Friday.

Melbourne City Council has investigated 36 complaints since the laws were introduced in August but no fines or official warnings have been issued due to a three-month grace period.

In Oakleigh’s Eaton Mall, popular with the Greek community, some traders stopped serving meals outside so patrons could light up. This was leading to smoke drift at nearby venues serving meals.

Rebecca Paterson, mayor of Monash which covers Oakleigh, said: “Some traders have at times not met the separation requirements between dining and drinking areas but we are using this time to educate both the traders and patrons on the new laws.”

Under the laws, venues can operate 4m buffer zones between diners and smokers or erect 2.1m blinds as separation.

Victoria’s Heath Minister Jill Hennessy said the agreement for councils to monitor outdoor smoking bans followed a long consultation period with the Municipal Association of Victoria.

“The ban only started in August this year — we continue to work and support councils and business through this transition to ensure Victorians are protected from the harm of second-hand smoke,” she said.

Australian Hotels Association Victoria CEO Paddy O’Sullivan did not approve of pubs banning outdoor food service.

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