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Liverpool’s smoking ban widens

http://liverpool-leader.whereilive.com.au/news/story/smoking-ban-widens/

Crown Cafe owner Nufel Sarikaya says smoking bans will hurt business. Photo: ARMEN DEUSHIAN.

Crown Cafe owner Nufel Sarikaya says smoking bans will hurt business. Photo: ARMEN DEUSHIAN.

SMOKING in children’s playgrounds, sportsgrounds and skate parks will be the first public non-smoking areas after Liverpool Council approved a draft no smoking policy at its February 27 meeting.

The original policy came to the council in November and included a smoking ban in outdoor dining areas, bus shelters and taxi ranks.

The council voted to exclude these from the initial ban. However, they will be forced to include them when the state government’s strict new anti-smoking laws are passed in the next few months.

Under the laws, smoking will be banned in all outdoor dining areas by 2015.

Macquarie Mall’s Crown Cafe owner Nufel Sarikaya said the proposed ban would have a big effect on his business.

“There is no one sitting inside, they always like to sit outside and have a coffee and a smoke,” Mr Sarikaya said.

“People will still come, but I would say it will be down by 20 per cent.”

The mall’s Chocolate Room owner Diana Stefanovski said the government should focus on employment, education and health.

“I don’t think people will be willing to go somewhere else to smoke and then come back when they’re finished,” she said.

The council’s draft policy will go on public exhibition for the next 28 days.

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