Alex Trelinski
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SMOKERS can light up again on bar and restaurant terraces in the Valencian Community after regional president Carlos Mazon announced he was ending the restriction.
The measure was introduced in the region over three years ago as part of a package of Covid-19 pandemic restrictions and was maintained despite the Spanish government last month removing remaining pandemic rules like mask-wearing in hospitals and health centres.
The previous Valencian government did not rescind the smoking restriction- meaning that the region was the only one in the country to keep the smoking ban.
Carlos Mazon held talks on Wednesday with Health Minister, Marciano Gomez, and Tourist and Industry Minister, Nuria Montes, where it was decided to scrap the measure.
The terrace ban will be officially lifted once a decree is published in the Valencian Official Gazette.
Hospitality associations lobbied Mazon for a repeal when he was standing for the presidency- pointing out that virtually all other areas of Spain had got rid of the ban or never had it in the first place.
It is now up to individual businesses to decide whether or not to permit smoking at their outside tables.
READ MORE:
- EXPLAINER: Why smoking ban remains on bar and restaurant terraces in Spain’s Costa Blanca and Valencia areas
- Smoking ban on bar and restaurant terraces stays for now in Spain’s Costa Blanca and Valencia areas
