Orange hoteliers and licencees are awaiting more changes to anti-smoking laws for pubs and clubs.
YESTERDAY Orange hoteliers and licencees were told more changes to limit smoking in pubs and clubs was on the way and they needed to be prepared to comply with government regulations.
Australian Hotels Association chief executive officer Paul Nicolaou visited Orange yesterday to outline the changes at a meeting attended by people in the hotel industry.
“We need to educate our members, particularly about the changes relating to the serving of food in a beer garden,” he said.
“Those changes will be implemented by 2015 and they need to be ready.”
Mr Nicolaou said there was a feeling in the industry the changes limiting smoking would not be the last to be implemented by the federal government.
“It is my personal feeling that by, say, 2019 we won’t see smoking allowed in any areas at all in public venues,” he said.
Mr Nicolaou empathised with clubs and hotels that have already spent a great deal of money complying with anti-smoking legislation.
“But there is very much a sense among our members more is to come,” he said.
However, on a positive note, Mr Nicolaou said there was huge potential for pubs and clubs to expand their business by providing quality eating facilities.
“People coming to eat out at pubs and clubs is a large part of our culture now,” he said.
- Janice Harris