Some Arlington business owners said the city’s smoking ban robbed them of their businesses.

Brett Russell owns Saltimbocca’s restaurant and said the smoking ban was a major factor in his decision to close the establishment. Pete Moore co-owns Bobby V’s in Arlington and said he’s not certain if his business will survive either.

“The majority of that is in the bar and we saw that business tail off by about 40 percent,” Russell said.

Restaurant regulars like Terry Dick said they started going to Mansfield bars and restaurants where you can still smoke.

“Everybody’s pretty much gone somewhere where we can [smoke],” Dick said.

Arlington Environmental Services Director Robert Byrd said he doesn’t believe Saltimbocca’s and Bobby V’s are reflective of the overall business climate now that the smoking ban is in effect.

“Essentially we haven’t gotten any feedback in that direction,” he said.

(Of course Byrd doesn’t believe it. Nicotine nannies are experts at denying facts and never take responsibility for the devastation they’ve caused.)

Source: nbc5i.com. Link

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