Beverly Hills to Approve Outdoor Smoking Ban at Restaurants

Il Pastaio

It's surprising that a restaurant association still thinks smoking bans hurt business. According to CBS2, the Beverly Hills City Council is expected to approve an outdoor smoking ban at all restaurants today.

The proposal is opposed by the Beverly Hills Restaurant Association, whose members feel the ban could prompt smokers to eat at restaurants in nearby Los Angeles or West Hollywood where smoking is allowed outdoors, hurting their business and costing Beverly Hills sales tax revenue, according to Executive Director Rudy Cole.

That's just crazy. When smoking was banned on the statewide level, people didn't stop going out to eat. Outdoor smoking is banned in Santa Monica, Calabasas, and Burbank, and we're all still dining outside. This kind of action doesn't stop business; even New Yorkers found a way to deal with it. Beverly Hills is afraid it will lose it's "European feel" if the Euro trash diners can't smoke outside. Here's a thought: Maybe more people will actually sit at restaurants with sidewalk patios now that they won't have a constant cloud of toxic smoke blowing in their salad and pasta. Apparently tthe Governator and Sylvestor Stallone both enjoy stogies at Caffe Roma on Canon Drive. Our bet: They still will, and won't be hit with the $100-$500 fine. If approved today, the ban will go into effect in October, and if it "caused too many problems," it can be repealed by May 31, 2008.
· Beverly Hills To Approve Outdoor Smoking Ban [CBS2.com]
· Beverly Hills One Step Closer to Smoking Ban [LAT]