The Facts » Asia

Ban on smoking at risk due to crisis

admin — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 04:15:56 +0000

ISTANBUL (not Constantinople) – Despite Turkey having passed a law in May that created a partially smoke-free environment, the implementation of the smoking ban has been claimed as one of the victims of the global financial crisis as restaurant owners choose to ignore it and hang on to their customers.

However, restaurants and cafes in shopping malls that do not want to lose smokers as customers are ignoring the ban.

The same applies to the Olivium mall in the Zeytinburnu district where some restaurants are ignoring the ban due to the decrease in customers. The proprietor of a restaurant where smoking is permitted in Olivium said, “[The ban] reduced business by 90 percent. We had 11 employees here, now we have five, it is a shame…

Source: Hurriyet Daily News. Link

Restos, Cafes Feel The Heat Of Smoking Ban

admin — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 18:27:22 +0000

Jack Tan, Administrative and Finance Manager of Coffeezone has said that from the past week that the smoking ban has been in place, he has noticed that about 30 per cent of his usual customers have stopped coming.

“About 40 per cent of loyal customers are smokers, and that is why we have an outside seating area, but now with the ban, there is no point to have .outside dining at the restaurant,” he said.

Source: BruneiDriect.com. Link

Cafés in Turkish malls demand fairness in smoking ban

admin — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 16:03:00 +0000

Restaurant and café owners whose businesses are located inside enclosed venues and shopping malls have been suffering a 15 to 20 percent drop in turnover since an indoor smoking ban went into force on May 19 have claimed that it is not the ban but unfair competition that is responsible for plummeting sales.

Shopping mall managers say the sharp fall in turnover was mainly caused by eateries located outside shopping malls, where the ban on smoking will not go into effect until next year. Smokers who spend their time in shopping malls walk out to nearby restaurants that offer a smoke-friendly alternative, a situation mall managers say creates unfair competition. Managers demand that the smoking ban in all restaurants and cafés, scheduled to take effect on July 19, 2009, should either be moved up to an earlier date or their eateries should be excluded from the indoor smoking ban until that date.

{This is fairly typical behavior. When bans hurt one sector but not another, the injured parties often demand that the pain be spread around in the interest of “fairness.”}

Source: Today’s Zaman. Link