Belgium Capitulates to the Non-Smoking legislation

[Simon Bolivar]

So having been away for the summer, I came home from the rig to find that from the 1st July, no smoking is no allowed in the cafes & bars, which had been allowed, where food wasn't served.
There is supposed to be an exception in a seperate room were no food or drink is served but I haven't found one yet. The annoying thing is that this has been completely driven by Government (the last one must have set the wheels in motion as Belgium currently hold the record for a democratic country without an elected Government in power.) As the cafes were divided into those who did allow smoking & those that didn't, I never saw any friction from the public with this arrangement.
I expect many cafes to close as happed to pubs in Britian, once the long wet winter starts I see more & more staying at home & drinking there rather than having to stand on the street to smoke in the rain.

I went out & found an allotment with a shed (no garden of mine own) once I have secured this, I'll have somewhere to go & smoke but my back will pay the price as I have to do my best to keep it weed free, not easy when I am away 6/12 pa.
Nico mentioned Germany still has smoking bars, must be the last place left in Western Europe? See Spain is supposed to have a blanket ban in resurants & bars now too. Any reports on how that's working?

[Cigar-aficionado]

Gib has smoking in most bars etc Simon

[HabanoSy]

Damn shame Simon...

I see all Governments listen the same then...!!!

No guessing for who's going to have the nicest shed on the allotment...

Cheers, HabanoSy

[Bigboned]

Are you intending to use the space for growing Si or just as a retreat? Thinking good weedkiller and a layer of fabric / visqueen sheeting will stop anything growing. Maybe a bit of decking couple of pot plants, BBQ ........ Sorry going off at a tangent

[patrickspark]

the smart bar owners will adapt - lots of pubs and cafes here in dublin closed post smoking ban but the smart lads adapted - there's some really excellent smoking areas in many pubs and cafes here now.

[Simon Bolivar]

Aye, but a long way to go on a Wed afternoon Andy!

[Simon Bolivar]

Hi Andy, just nipping off topic, Yep I hope to grow some crops but I was thinking of using a hired rotovater to turn the top soil over & chop the weeds up & then cover a large part with fabric. I see some other allotments have laid some down. I was worried about using large amounts of weedkiller, as I assume this might upset my neighbours? Let you knozwif I manage to secure the plot I am after.

[Bigboned]

Interested in this Si throws us some pics up if you do! Maybe a poly tunnel and tobacco plants

[Detroit_Waves]

Interested in this Si throws us some pics up if you do! Maybe a poly tunnel and tobacco plants

Now there is an interesting idea!!

[Zigatoh]

Think you'd be ok with stuff like weedol, as long as it's not windy, a lot of these weedkillers work on the leaves and become basically inert when they hit the soil, so worth chucking it on anything there before you turn it over... doh, *looks around* ,this isn't the gardeners world forum??

[Simon Bolivar]

Cheers Zig, I'll give Weedol ago, hoping to tract down the allotment manageress over the w/end.

[Bad-Yeti]

I'm in Germany at the moment and to be fair they have a really relaxed attitude towards it, loads of cigar bars or just bars where smoking is allowed, there is a max square meterage that is allowed and the establishment must sell no food, outside that you're fine.

My god why cant the rest of the world be a sane?!?

There are still a couple of bars in SPain that let you smoke, but I think it's just their " don't give a damn" attitude.

[Robusto]

Was in Luxembourg two weeks ago and smoking is allowed in all bars. it's not allowed in spaces where food is served. The atmosphere was completely relaxed with no twattish fuss whatsoever.

[bigbarneyhotdog]

Tarmac maintenance free

[Simon Bolivar]