Smoking ban ‘rebel’ gets €145,000 fine

THE Marbella restaurant owner who publicly defied new legislation by allowing smoking in his premises has received a huge fine and faces closure of his premises. Just one month and five days after legislation banning smoking in bars and restaurant was passed, the Junta de Andalucia informed the owner of the ‘Asador Guadalmina’ in Marbella that he will be fined €145,000.

If the fine is not paid, the Junta could close the restaurant, a Spanish daily reports.

Jose Eugenio Arias, originally from San Sebastian, described the law as “a smokescreen by the government to cover up for seven years of destruction” and said that he would continue to allow people to smoke on his premises.

Arias has travelled to Madrid and has become a spokesman for hoteliers who say they ban will have a disastrous effect on their businesses.

There are 15 million smokers and 300,000 catering establishments in Spain

Meanwhile, Marbella Town Hall is yet to decide if it will impose a further fine against the restaurant of €10,000.

Meanwhile, other establishments complain that the ‘rebel restaurant’ continues to trade and allow smoking inside its premises, while lose custom for following the law.