by KYW's Mike Dunn
Confusion reigns among many bar and restaurant owners over Mayor Street’s sudden decision to begin enforcement of the smoking ban.
Day 1 of the smoking ban enforcement left owners of many smoking establishments scratching their heads over what it means.
Mayor Street attempted to clarify:
“When people think of enforcement, they traditionally think of someone with a ticket book in his or her hand going in and writing tickets. That will not happen today. But enforcement will begin today in the sense that restaurants are on notice.”
But he said as a practical matter no citations will be handed out to violators until the establishments receive a formal written notice:
“As a procedural matter, before we can write a citation, there may be some formal notice that will be given. But as a practical matter, the ban is in effect, and we are asking restaurant owners to enforce the ban.”
The mayor reiterated that small taverns will be able to apply for waivers to the smoking ban, but he offered no new details on when that process will begin. So we asked, what should the pubs do in the meantime?
“As far as we’re concerned, they’re all non-smoking. The ordinance is in effect.”
KYW's Mike DeNardo reports that bar owners admit they're flying in the dark a little, on day one of the city's smoking ban.
Mike Driscoll, co-owner of Finnigan's Wake in Northern Liberties, jokes with a patron at his bar:
"No smoking, Bruce!"
Even though he hasn't yet been officially notified of the smoking ban, Driscoll is enforcing it:
"In the spirit of cooperation, we're non-smoking today. But we wish the city would have formnally notified us about what we can and can't do, and when we should and shouldn't do it."
For example, he's concerned about possible problems with puffing patrons loitering outside, who have to be 20 feet from the entrance.
KYW’s Kim Glovas spoke to some workers at center city establishments that will be affected by the new ban. Kat works as a hostess and server at Fado in center city. She came here from Buffalo, NY a few years ago, after that city instituted its own smoking ban.
She says her transition back into a smoking environment was significant:
"My glands were swollen, I got sick, and I started working in a bar in Old City as soon as I got here. And I was just shocked, even just the smell of it. It was just a whole new world; you don't realize how different it is once you're not around it anymore."
While Kat is in favor of the ban, her co-worker Dee is against it:
"It's just because I'm a smoker. That's my only reason; I want to smoke when I go out."
Other bartenders in the center city area say they are concerned about patrons who go out for a smoke and start trouble, or stiff them for the tab.
The city’s complaint line number is 215-685-7495, or you can send an e-mail to healthdept@phila.gov.
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