Going smoke free in Evansville means, starting April first, no lighting up in bars, restaurants or private clubs. Casino Aztar is exempt from the law but other businesses are worried they’ll lose customers.
Owner Terri Carl of Leroy’s Tavern says that when there’s a big game on, smokers and non-smokers alike, will be gathered around the TV’s in their bar. She says they try to work with everyone’s preferences.
“We have real high efficiency smoke eaters here, so we’re trying to accommodate the smoker and the non-smoker,” said Carl.
Now, that won’t be enough. Monday night, the Evansville City Council passed an ordinance that would make it illegal for all Evansville bars, restaurants, and private clubs to allow smoking.
Carl says she’s already set plans in motion to get her tavern ready.
“We can accommodate our smokers, by having outdoor patios, that’s what we have planned, in fact, I had a contractor here this morning,” Carl said.
But for private club, the River City Eagles, they say many of their patrons aren’t willing to compromise with the new ordinance.
“We’ve had a few members this morning already complaining they won’t be back again, they won’t join again,” said Trustee Rick Koewler.
Koewler says he feels the smoking ban is unfair to them because, unlike public bars and restaurants, they’re a private organization where members pay dues.
He says many of them view coming to the Eagles as an extension of their home and he doesn’t think it’s fair to keep them from lighting up. He says he seriously fears for the future of the club.
Owners also brought up to 14 News that Casino Aztar was exempt from this smoking ban, many of them called that unfair.
Ukraine’s parliament on Tuesday voted to ban smoking in public areas such as bars and restaurants as the former Soviet republic prepares to host the Euro 2012 football championship. Under the law approved by parliament in the first reading, owners of eateries face fines of up to 10,000 hryvnias ($1,250) for allowing smoking on their premises unless they set up special, ventilated smoking rooms. About 29 percent of adult Ukrainians smoke, according to the 2010 Global Adult Tobacco Survey. Until now, bars and restaurants were only required to have smoke-free areas.
