Smoking ban 'no loss'

2007-03-09 10:03

Johannesburg - Restaurants have suffered no real downturn in business after smoking in public places was banned, Business Day reported on Friday.

According to research findings published in the SA Medical Journal, 59% of 736 restaurants surveyed reported that there had been no change in their revenue, while 22% of restaurants reported an increase in revenues.

The Tobacco Control Amendment Act came into effect six years ago and during public hearings in 1998 the hospitality industry claimed the law would decrease their turnover by a third.

The research carried out by researchers from the University of Cape Town revealed that 19% of restaurants had seen their revenues fall and only 4.5% of restaurant owners reported that revenue had fallen more than 20% in the six years since the legislation came into force.

- SAPA