Smokefree outdoor dining a hit

Cafe-goers in Nelson will need to stub out the smokes when dining outdoors as part of a new initiative.

Cancer Society Nelson has joined the Fresh Air Project, an initiative to encourage hospitality outlets to make their outdoor dining areas smokefree.

River Kitchen cafe owner Clare Fleming said she was keen to get on board with the initiative and had already contacted the health board about what they could do to get started before she was told of the Fresh Air Project.

‘‘Every time someone was smoking out there the table next to them complained and blame them,’’ she said.

‘‘There are definitely more complaints about smoking than complaints about not being able to smoke.’’

She said since they made the change in August, the feedback from customers had been very positive.

‘‘We only had a handful of hardcore coffee-drinking smokers ... we had one table we thought would be really upset about this and they just were not, they were outstanding.’’

Wait staff no longer had to walk around in the outdoor dining area picking up cigarette butts.

Cancer Society Nelson manager Michelle Hunt said each individ- I don’t ual council was looking at what they could do to help their community become smokefree.

The region had joined The Fresh Air Project, which began as a partnership between the Cancer Society and the Canterbury District Health Board.

When Hunt surveyed 25 cafes and restaurants in March she found 81 per cent were in favour of smokefree outdoor dining. She had since visited around 45 hospitality outlets and emailed over 60 about joining the initiative.

‘‘There’s a few more to sign up, we are trying to do the whole region,’’ Hunt said.

‘‘We want to make a positive change, we all have to do something to help make New Zealand smokefree and achieve that target.’’

It was free for venues to join and they would be provided with signage and promotion.

In Nelson, Ford’s Restaurant, The Kitchen, 7010, Morri St, Nahm, World of WearableArt Cafe and Melrose House had also joined the initiative. Further afield, Eddyline Brewery & Pizzeria in Richmond, Cafe Rhubarbe in Wakefield, Headquarters Cafe and Bar in Brightwater, Dangerous Kitchen and Wholemeal in Takaka had also joined the scheme.

Ministry of Health data showed that 16 per cent of the adult population were regular smokers, but by 2025, that figure would have dropped to less than five per cent.