Eateries can no longer apply for outdoor smoking areas: NEA

SINGAPORE — In the latest move to cut down the areas where people can light up their cigarettes, no new applications from eateries to set aside an area for smokers would be accepted with immediate effect, the National Environment Agency (NEA) announced on Friday (June 30).

Eateries that already have these approved outdoor “smoking corners” will be allowed to retain them until the licence is terminated or cancelled. However, operators entering the food-and-beverage business, setting up a new outlet, or have just bought over an eatery will no longer be able to apply for these permits.

There are around 900 smoking corners islandwide. The application for a smoking area comes under the application for a licence to operate a food shop. The licence, issued by the NEA, is valid for a year.

The new ruling comes as part of the agency’s announcement on Friday that all public areas within the Orchard Road shopping belt will be smoke-free zones from July next year, adding to the growing list of places where smoking is prohibited.

Since July 2006, smoking has been banned at non-airconditioned food shops — including coffee shops and hawker centres — unless it is done at designated areas under the NEA permit. Smoking is also banned in places such as nightspots, void decks of housing blocks, bus stops, as well as car parks.

Stakeholders who spoke to TODAY said that a lack of smoking areas at their eateries would have some effect on business takings.

Mr Hong Poh Hin, chairman of the Foochow Coffee Restaurant and Bar Merchants Association, which represents more than 400 coffee shops in Singapore, estimated that business might drop by around 10 per cent in general should a coffee shop goes smoke-free — especially if it also sells cigarettes on its premises but removes its smoking corner.

He also foresees that coffee shops without smoking areas have some challenges to face. First, they might lose customers who smoke, and second, if customers light up “despite warning”, the operators face possible censure from the authorities.

Mr Andy Wong, owner of Wan Jin Serangoon Coffeeshop, said that it would be an “inconvenience to customers”, since it is “a way of life” for some of them to smoke and drink — either alcohol or non-alcoholic drinks such as coffee — at these shops. Without a smoking spot, it would “reduce” the number of places where they can “unwind”, he added.

Another owner of a coffee shop in Ang Mo Kio, who identified himself only as Mr Tan, suggested that it might be harder to sell off the place should the time comes. “If my coffee shop changes hands and has no smoking corner, I think business might drop around 10 to 15 per cent,” he said.