Smoking ban in Wellington bar

Press, 18 October 1976, Page 12

Smoking ban in Wellington bar

PA Wellington Smoking has been banned in one of the bars of the Brunswick Hotel in central Wellington. The manager (Mr Bill Brien) had the no smoking signs erected in his Victorian parlour bar, a new annex. The no-smoking bar serves lunch. It was officially opened this morning. Mr Brien, a former detective senior-sergeant with the Wellington C. 1.8. says he has studied the law and the regulations regarding the banning of smoking, and feels confident he can make the restriction. He says, however, that he is looking for the cooperation of guests, preferring smokers to put out their cigarettes rather than face the prospect of being evicted. “Frankly, I don’t know what will happen if the drinker refuses to stop smoking. I guess I will point out the fact that he is inconveniencing others in the room, and hope he will respect their wishes.”

Mr Brien, who does not smoke, says he decided to . try the no-smoking experiment because so many people had complained of going into his bars and coming out smelling of smoke. “These are the patrons I am considering. There is no question of smoking’s being banned in the public bar. That would be unlawful,” he said.