Cafe snuffs out smokers

Walton Street Cafe owners Matt Brown (left) and Chris Jack in the outdoor area of their cafe. Photo / John Stone

A popular central Whangarei cafe has joined the growing list of Northland eateries which have made their outdoor dining areas smokefree.

The informal initiative organised by the Cancer Society and Northland District Health Board supports the Government's national Smokefree 2025 goal and follows other local government endeavours to make public spaces smokefree.

The Cancer Society says Walton Street Café has been totally smokefree since September.

Owners Chris Jack and Matt Brown were acknowledged recently by the society and the Northland DHB with the presentation of a Smokefree Cafe Award.

They join 15 other Northland cafes already signed up to the campaign.

"Our outdoor area is the best spot, most of our customers don't enjoy being around smoke so why shouldn't the majority of our customers enjoy it?" Mr Jack said.

"Even when the doors are open you can't stop the smoke from drifting inside so it's not a pleasant experience for other diners or me at the counter, our customers have been very supportive," said Matt.

Bridget Rowse, Smokefree Adviser for the Northland DHB, said, "The majority of the population don't smoke and, with summer just around the corner, people want to eat outside in a family friendly environment without a side [order] of smoke."

The other 15 cafes which have smokefree outdoor seating areas are, in Whangarei: Nectar Cafe in Bank St, KiwiYo in Cameron St, The Press in Tarewa Park, Columbus Cafe in Porowini Ave, Jolt Cafe in Sciadopitys Garden Centre Maunu, Refuel Cafe at Sport Northland Western Hills Dr, Quail Cafe in The Quarry Gardens in Russell Rd, Fresh Cafe in James St, Botanix in Palmers Garden Centre at the corner of Water and Central Avenues and Newday cafe in Parua Bay; in Northland: The Cafe in Helena Bay Hill, Makana Chocolate Cafe in Kerikeri, Geeko Cafe in Commerce Street Kaitaia, BoatShed Cafe in Rawene and The Landing Cafe in Opononi.