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Dubai: Shisha cafe owners say they are losing customers because of the new Dubai Municipality anti-smoking rules.
Cafes of less than 1,500 sqft have been ordered to move to bigger premises by the yearend, and those in residential areas are not allowed to serve shisha outside.
One Karama cafe says it has been given two months to move the shisha smokers inside.
Unemployment
One Emirati customer, who travels more than 45km to smoke shisha three times a day in Dubai, and wishes to remain anonymous, said: "They should close the main companies for smoking, not the small places. Where will these workers go for a job? They will have to go home. These small owners will lose their money and their jobs."
"A lot of places will close down because they can't afford to move to bigger places; they should be given compensation, because they will lose their money and live on the streets," he said.
Small areas
Some small shisha cafes in Karama have main seating areas outside, and cannot move customers inside. They have been asked to move to bigger premises by the municipality or face closure.
Salem Bin Mesmar, Assistant Director General at the municipality, said: "Shisha places with no regulations will close down, and ones in residential areas are being asked to move. They have the right to shift to another area, this is reasonable.
"In residential areas people are really bothered by the smoke, smell and noise of people sitting there until 1 or 2 o' clock in the morning. I can't comment on compensation."
One Shaikh Zayed Road shisha cafe manager, who wishes to remain anonymous, said the shop was ordered to move smokers inside by July 1.
"Business is bad and customers are complaining. I have two floors and the building is a mix of commercial and residential [units], so now we have to have the shisha inside," he said.
Another Emirati shisha smoker who would not give his name, said: "They cannot ban shisha outright.
"People smoke shisha and talk about social things; they talk about work and play cards, so if it is banned they will stay in their flats.
"If it is banned totally it will lead to other things, because people always want things if they can't have them."
A total of 25 restaurants and cafes have been fined Dh5,000 to Dh10,000 for not complying with the requirements, since the regulations were introduced on November 15, 2007.
Mesmar said: "We are not banning smoking, but regulating it. It's okay to have shisha, but there are rules for organising this business in Dubai."
Are you a shisha enthusiast? Do you agree with the new regulation? Will you still frequent your regular shisha cafe if you are unable to smoke outdoors?
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