by PETER
McLAUGHLIN
The Daily News
Source: Halifax (NS) Daily News, 2002-07-30, via tobacco.org
Region:CANADA Category: Smokefree Policies URL: http://www.canada.com/halifax/dailynews/story.asp?id=%7B15B9F699-F7A4-
4A5E-B009-07BB6CDB2524%7D
Pitchman's Pub and Eatery owner Dave Maguire:
"It was starting to become quite inconvenient, and an eyesore,
to send (smokers) outside."
Despite six successful months as a smoke-free
bar, a new downtown Halifax pub has decided to permit smoking
after hours, five months before the province's smoke-free places
law takes effect.
Pitchman's Pub and Eatery owner Dave Maguire
said he felt forced to retreat on total smoke-free status because
he didn't like turning his smoking customers outside to puff.
"It was starting to become quite inconvenient,
and an eyesore, to send them outside,'' he said. "There
comes a point where you want to keep all your customers happy.
The demand was just too great not to start to accommodate them.''
Pitchman's, which opened on Prince Street in
February as a smoke-free restaurant and bar, began allowing
smoking in its bar area last night. Under the new legislation,
which takes effect Jan. 1, smoking will be permitted only after
9 p.m. unless it's inside a separate, fully ventilated room.
Restricting smoking to the late evening minimizes
exposure to children.
"I didn't think we would have that kind
of a demand (for smoking), but I think we found a way where
we can keep everyone happy,'' said Maguire.
He said he supports the new law, but he won't
be building a daytime smoking room, which would be too costly.
"We won't allow smoking prior to 9 p.m., and after 9 p.m.
we'll allow it in the bar area only, so the other 80 per cent
of the bar will still remain smoke-free,'' he said.
Smoking won't be allowed in the Pitchman's two
screening rooms, he said, because smoke would damage the pub's
high-tech video projectors.
Over the past few months restaurants and bars
have been gearing up for Jan. 1. Some have declared they will
stay completely smoke-free, while others have announced plans
to build enclosed, daytime smoking areas.
