Fitzy, sit in the no smoking zone and let your mum go to the smoking area when she wants to smoke.For years we sat in the smoking zones in resturants and bars with my friend who was the only smoker out of the 4 of us,until our last holiday when we sat in the no smoking areas and she just went to the smoking area to smoke.She will be a non smoker now as she had a suspected heart attack last Thursday and her cigarettes have gone in the bin.

sanji - What's the situation with the British bars have they opted to choose non smoking?.

PS don't suppose you noticed the situation in the wooky hollow?

sanji - What's the situation with the British bars have they opted to choose non smoking?.

Sorry, dont know about the wooky hollow but, most of the British bars around the Los Dalmatas have gone smoking allowed.
The Copacabana/Farggi bar on the promenade (another place where we visited)...this has gone no-smoking.

Unless you have a favourite bar (like I do) that goes no-smoking, then you will find bars that allow it.
Its the hotels that it has hit IMO and nearly a week into the new law, some of the hotels are now creating areas to smoke within....I wonder why?
The los Dalmatas and the Sol Pelicanos/Ocas remain totally no-smoking hotels at this moment in time...and that means anywhere except the rooms.
I had a serious discussion with the Director of the Dalmatas...I say serious discussion, cos that sounds better than an argument

He now says that they are thinking about it, when they refurbish the hotel....so refurbishment looks on the cards for the Dalmatas, but when next year or 5 years ?

He just walked away from me in the end
The problem is...it costs money to create areas that comply with the new laws, and the government will obviously NOT fund these changes...so, the various hotels will be reluctant to spend money...efficient, effective smoke extractors cost money....but some are already seeing the drop in their takings, therefore in the long term, having an area for smokers, who will then stay in the hotel and spend money, may be their only option.

Having walked from nearly one end of the resort to the other.....there are bars that have gone no-smoking..that allowed it before.
Its all hit and miss and confusion at the moment. IMO
besos xxx
Sanji

Hi Sam

Its a hazy day here today, so just for you we have walked up to the Wookey Hollow...and yes, it is a smoking bar that is the wookey Hollow 1 and 2.

Me personally, I would class myself as a social smoker, I hardly smoke at home, I have never wanted to smoke in the resturaunt, car, bus etc, but when I come to Spain, I will admit that I like cigarette after dinner with a drink, and this week has been spoilt for me by having to stand out in the cold. or go to another hotel/ bar, which is what we have done.

Mr Sanji is non too pleased...he is a smoker and last night whilst I was on the internet, he left his half empty glass of gin & tonic to pop outside for a smoke....and when he came back...the waiter had cleared his drink...thinking he had left it.
Anyway, I feel things will change...
Besos xxx
Sanji (your local Benidorm rep)

Lol Sanji you're a mine of information! Thanks for all your "investigation work". I will be checking with the hotel before I book, especially if it's AI, once again thanks....................Linda xx

Looks like the Waiters of Benidorm have got it in for you and hubby this week Sanji...they clearly dont understand your Powers and your influence, and may not even know "who you are"!.....Yet!!!..But they will!!! They will get their comeuppance...oh yes!! : I'm looking forward, with some trepidation with regards taking my "Human Chimney" friend to Beni in two weeks, I dont smoke...she never stops, its all a bit ying and yang really, but I'm sure we'll have fun whatever, I can always use semafore from the bar to communicate! Have a Fun Last night Sanji. Best Regards. - Taggy.

We got back yesterday and did not find to many problems. The main one was at the airport. They have put a couple of ashtrays by gate number 8 and you have to stand there. I cannot see this working in the summer when the airport gets packed.

Sanji,
If you come back on will you find out if the Balearics are the same please, i know the canaries are so i imagine the same goes for all spanish places. I was going to book for costa brava A/I but might have a rethink now. I am not bothered about the restaurant part as i dont smoke there anyway, its when i am having a drink, i like to pop my head out of an open window or door for a quick puff. I dont smoke around my kids anyway even at home i stand at the back door but its ridiculous that i might possibly have to stand in one part of a hotel while my kids are in another.
Thankyou
Loulou

Hi Loulou ... it is a national issue, although the implementation may so far be subject to local variation. It may be best to post in the relevant Costa or Balearic forum for some local feedback.

David

Hi Lou
As David has said, it is a national issue, therefore the law is throughout the 17 autonomous communities of Spain and the 2 cities of Cueta and Melilla situated in Morocco, but owned by Spain....although I can`t see it being enforced in Morocco
Apart from the Hotels,.... it has hit the Spanish workers, who also now have to go outside ..... places like Madrid and Barcelona who have a high density of office workers.

Nearly 40% of Spains economy depends on tourism, unlike Ireland...and if there`s one thing that all Spaniards love...it`s MONEY !!!!
For years we have been told to eat a healthy Mediterranean diet, they live longer, blah, blah, blah....the fact that they usually finish off the meal with a cigarette, or a big fat cuban cigar was totally ignored

What you have to remember is ...Spain (and France) has been the biggest receiver of E.E.C funds since joining, and putting very little into the European pot in return.
Brussels has now said to them...OK, you`ve had the money, now let`s see you enforcing some of the laws that apply to the rest of Europe. especially, if you want some more money.!!!!
and if the decision was soley theirs to make, then I doubt very much that they would have brought it in.

Away from the cities and the tourist traps, I bet most Spaniards couldn`t give a about Brussels, and will stick two fingers up at them...just like they have on other issues like animal cruelty for example

Just my views here
Besos xxx
Sanji

We are visiting Benidorm in February, can anyone advise on whether Magic Villa de Benidorm Hotel is now totally non smoking. I hope not, Who wants to stay in a Bar (all inclusive) and not be able to have a ciggie.

Hope somebody can let me know on the situation there, There are 12 of us going and most of us are smokers.

Thanks

Sanji Nobody will ever accuse you of underesearching a subject!! Impressive stuff and great to see you've landed back safely. Best Regards. - Taggy.

Thanks David and Thanks Sanji.

Loulou

hi, noticed samdoddsred asked about smoking at the wooky.I'm not sure when you are going but my parents are there at the moment and said it closed on friday night for new sound proofing to be put in

Hi, You can still smoke at the Airport, just keep going past the 2 very full ashtrays by gate 7 to the far end of the Airport, there are plenty of seats and ashtrays, its where you could smoke before, its the first place i went after checking in. I took a cup of tea and had a couple of ciggies before boarding.

Lizzie.

I live in Torrevieja and in the local rag the other day there was a report of the first person to be fined for smoking.

A copper noticed a local man smoking in a restaurant and went in to tell him to put out the cigarette and he refused and was arrested and charged with failing to obey a police officer and was fined 240 euros

Gerry

I have just returned frid 13th
In the hotels they are enforcing the smoking ban
But all the bars I went in there was no ban still the same

Cig prices have gone up 1 euro 27.5 L+B in resort. 31 at airport
Exchange rate 143

Well, as someone who is more than delighted to finally see the Scottish smoking ban come in this March, im equally delighted to see such a ban when im on holiday in Spain

However, i do have sympathy for those who have paid a lot of money in advance not knowing that this was going to happen. Maybe as someone said earlier, they will encase smokers in glass areas so they can have their own area ... i guess they turned down my idea of encasing them in concrete

( a joke for christs sake!! )

Oh.....and i've had to leave bars in the past cos i couldnt stand the smoke. Could i have my compensation in arrears please

( a joke for christs sake!! )

I laughed so much that I had to wear my plastic knickers

It`s all about choice....smokers have rights as well.
You have a choice whether to go in any bar .....smoking or not.
I only have the choice to stand outside in certain circumstances.
I pay the same amount of money as you to go to an hotel.....I expect my needs to be catered for, not being made to feel like a leper.
I think some people have lossed sight of the original Governments plan...which was to reduce the amount of people smoking.....
People are still smoking whether it be outside or in their own homes.....

Yes, I appreciate that you should NOT have to inhale a smokers toxic fumes....but you have no right to dictate to me, when and where I should smoke.
You have the choice to go into a pub and have a drink...I have to make the choice whether I want a drink OR a cigarette....because people have taken away my freedom, and I can`t have both.
Or they decided that people who are hooked on this habit are only fit to be enclosed in a glass cage, like an animal.
It may suprise you to learn, that not all smokers are 20 a day puffing chimney`s some like me, are people who don`t smoke in resturaunts, but just like to go on holiday, relax with a glass of wine and have a cigarette every now and then....and having paid the same amount of money as you, should not be forced into a cage, sat on plastic chairs.

Nictotine addiction is MORE addictive than heroin, but, unlike heroin it is a social habit....Tobacco is not an illegal drug, it is sold at a great profit to the manufactors and the respective governments in the tax revenue that is collected from every packet sold.
Revenue that is sometimes diverted back into the NHS to pay for mine and your medical treatment.

And if everyone in Spain stopped smoking tomorrow....Millions, yes I said Millions of revenue would be lost.....so where do you expect the Spanish government to magically bridge the deficit ?.....the money has to come from somewhere.....so expect to pay a hell of a lot more for your holiday....and if you think people would be healthier, then also try cutting the amount of alcohol and the cr@p out of food, particularly the additives and E numbers out of the garbage, that we throw down our throats each day. ...or the pollution spewed out of factories, exhausts and aeroplanes.
We got rid of coal fires in this country in a blind effort to make us a healthier nation......statistic will prove than we are less healthier than our peers...and ONLY medical science has enabled us to live longer.

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.
And I`m NOT getting drawn into the argument with the tunnel vision anti smoking brigade, who can see no further than clearing the air around them......
There are enough brigades in this forum...namely the Benidorm brigade.
besos xxx
Sanji