Owner-operators at Wagga cafés Storehouse Deli, Café Cucina, Cache, Mates Gully and Uneke Lounge and Italian restaurant La Porchetta believe the state government should introduce a blanket ban on smoking in outdoor eateries.

According to Café Cucina’s Vicki Higginson the Wagga businesses are proof smoking bans do not affect profit or significantly decrease patronage.

She yesterday argued that vigorous opposition to the ban on the grounds it will have an adverse economic impact on the hospitality industry has been demonstrated to be unfounded in Wagga.

“When Wagga City Council imposed the ban on smoking in outdoor dining areas in the main street there was a small amount of protest from regular smokers but they seemed to get over it fairly quickly,” Ms Higginson said.

“Overall everyone seemed to be happy because the majority of people don’t want to be around a smoker or have their children around someone smoking.

“I may have lost a few customers because they could no longer smoke there but it definitely wasn’t many, and I have had quite a few new customers tell me they choose to come here because it is smoke free.

“It has made the environment cleaner, there are no cigarette butts lying under the tables and the air is fresh.”

Under the government’s Tobacco Action Strategy, smoking could be banned in the outdoor dining areas of all NSW cafés, restaurants and pubs.

The government is currently undergoing public consultation on the issue, and South West Cancer Council regional program co-ordinator Megan Savin is urging residents to have their say before January 28.

“Tobacco is the biggest cause of preventable death in Australia, and secondhand smoke is both dangerous and unwanted at outdoor eateries,” she said.

“Smoke-free dining is good for health, good for dining, and good for business, so I really hope people have a say to ensure it becomes a reality across NSW.”

The proposal was not met with universal enthusiasm, with a survey of a number of smokers in the city yesterday unearthing a growing resentment toward the proposed ban.

The Daily Advertiser photographer Oscar Colman said smokers should be entitled to smoke in alfresco dining areas.

Mr Colman’s thoughts were echoed by a number of smokers who believe the ban would unfairly impact on their right to smoke.