Actually, this is a modified version of the first smoking ban that was introduced in 2006 which forced cafe-, restaurant- and bar-owners to create a separate smoking room or area where people could indulge in their addiction. So all these businesses modified their interiors to accommodate this 2006 law so as not to lose clientele and what did the government go and do? Change it a few years later meaning all that expense for nothing and some very angry people! As there are lots of terraces here in Alicante, those who have not given up smoking can still light up happily and the cafe and bar owners who did not have an open-air space have created small terraces in their entrance to get around the ban.
This is just another example of how, in my opinion, Spain has been catapulted into modernisation in line with northern European countries, like the UK. Being here since 2004, I really have seen this change with my own eyes... but that's another post waiting to happen!
This new smoking ban is now also applied to open air areas in schools, hospitals and children's playgrounds. The fine if you are caught lighting up in a prohibited area is 30 Euros, for a one-off incident.
I remember when I first came to live in Alicante, I was surprised at seeing bank tellers fag-in-hand counting out my Euros. Also, I hated that after a night out on the town my clothes and hair smelt like an ash tray. I am a non-smoker and always have been. Also none of my close family nor extended family smoke so my first impression of Spain was a nation of tobacco lovers.
So why am I talking about smoking? Because I saw a cute cigarette stubber outside the Hogueras museum the other day that I hadn't noticed before.
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