Tuesday 28 July 2020

France Just Banned Smokers’ Favourite Cafe Feature & Parisians Are Furious

France has announced a ban on heated terraces for cafes and bars, infuriating some Parisans in the process.

The ban comes amid a broad range of measures designed to protect the environment, with France's Ecology Minister Barbara Pompili calling outdoor heating an "ecological aberration."

The ban is set to come into force after winter, to give France's hospitality sector time to adapt.

From then onwards, "All heated or air-conditioned buildings open to the public will also have to keep their doors closed to avoid wasting energy," the BBC reports.

Ms Pompili said was wrong for shops to "air-condition the streets" in summer by keeping their doors open just to save customers from having to open them" (something which has also been banned).

"Neither should terraces be heated in winter so people can feel warm as they drink coffee," she added.

Some French cities had already banned outdoor heaters. In Paris, however, where more than 75% of restaurants and cafes have a heated terrace, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has previously refused, saying it would be too much of a blow to businesses.

 

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While the English speakers of Twitter have broadly applauded the ban, searching "chauffage exterieur" rather than "outdoor heaters" reveals a more nuanced – and in some cases defiant – reaction.

Numerous Parisians have taken to Twitter to criticise the move. One "Parisienne Urbaine Raconteuse" said the ban shows a government disconnected from the reality of the French people.

Another wrote, "another gadget of the ecologists who want to kill the Parisian economy."

Others pointed out the impracticalities of the other methods of keeping warm, particularly in a time of crisis ("you'd share a blanket in a time of coronavirus?")...

... and asked if it's necessary to destroy "everything the French economy rests upon."

Another protested the simple curtailing of freedom: "The upcoming ban on outdoor heating of terraces is both a serious and grotesque mistake... It is forbidden to forbid."

On the other side of the coin, many backed the ban, urging smokers and cafe patrons to "put on a jumper."

It's not the first norm change of 2020, and as many other capital cities around the world reconsider how they want their city centers to look post-COVID, it probably won't be the last.

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The post France Just Banned Smokers’ Favourite Cafe Feature & Parisians Are Furious appeared first on DMARGE.



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