SPAIN/ANDALUCÍA One of the consequences stemming from Spain's new anti-smoking law, which came into effect on January 2, is a great deal of confusion about whether smoking is or is not allowed in the casetas (marquees) at the innumerable ferias throughout the country. The largest of these in Andalucía(Sevilla, Jerez and Algeciras) began asking their local councils about how the new law would applied, and the same could probably be said of any town or village anywhere with an annual fair.>
It is up to the Local Police in each case to apply the law. The Local Police always operates under instruction of the Council, so it is the latter that decides.
One of the many things that makes a fair a feria in Andalucía is the caseta. These marquees can be elaborate affairs, as they tend to be in Sevilla (photo) or Jerez, for instance, or simple, homespun places where people meet each other just for a chat or a drink. In any case, they all have music, dancing and food and drink. And they all have roofs and walls, albeit made mostly of tarpaulin.
In terms of the anti-smoking law, the difference among them is apparently whether they are public or private.
Representatives of organizations grouping so-called caseteros, or those who run the marquees, are turning to the usual Spanish 'picaresque' in order to get away with allowing smoking in their casetas.
Apparently, and subject to confirmation by whoever is supposed to confirm these things, if you, bar owner, restaurateur or whatever, become a 'smokers' club', a private club in other words, you can allow smoking. The thing is, though, that members -there have to be members and/or guests- would have to serve themselves to food and drink as no-one is allowed to work in a place that allows smoking.
Another quandary involves the public or private conundrum. Is a caseta private if anyone is allowed in but it is set up by a private enterprise such as a family or a business? And in any case, as you will hear from almost every bar owner in the country, "I own this place, therefore it is private!"
The answers to all of these questions will have to come well before the feria season starts in April. Watch this space.
It is up to the Local Police in each case to apply the law. The Local Police always operates under instruction of the Council, so it is the latter that decides.
One of the many things that makes a fair a feria in Andalucía is the caseta. These marquees can be elaborate affairs, as they tend to be in Sevilla (photo) or Jerez, for instance, or simple, homespun places where people meet each other just for a chat or a drink. In any case, they all have music, dancing and food and drink. And they all have roofs and walls, albeit made mostly of tarpaulin.
In terms of the anti-smoking law, the difference among them is apparently whether they are public or private.
Representatives of organizations grouping so-called caseteros, or those who run the marquees, are turning to the usual Spanish 'picaresque' in order to get away with allowing smoking in their casetas.
Apparently, and subject to confirmation by whoever is supposed to confirm these things, if you, bar owner, restaurateur or whatever, become a 'smokers' club', a private club in other words, you can allow smoking. The thing is, though, that members -there have to be members and/or guests- would have to serve themselves to food and drink as no-one is allowed to work in a place that allows smoking.
Another quandary involves the public or private conundrum. Is a caseta private if anyone is allowed in but it is set up by a private enterprise such as a family or a business? And in any case, as you will hear from almost every bar owner in the country, "I own this place, therefore it is private!"
The answers to all of these questions will have to come well before the feria season starts in April. Watch this space.
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