The ban will affect 238 restaurants and cafes reported to face an 80 percent drop in their revenue. These cafes would make a daily revenue of 7 to 10 thousand riyals from shisha alone.
The ban has only recently been enforced, with Riyadh and other cities having implemented this years ago. Shisha lovers now have to drive to cafes outside the city to smoke as the decision also applies to residential areas.
Abdul Aziz Al-Nahari, spokesman for the Jeddah mayoralty, said this is an application of the ministry of interior’s decision to protect public health and that such measures have been applied internationally.
Arab News met with café owners who denounced the decision as ‘shocking’. » | Ibrahim Naffee | Jeddah | Wednesday, October 10, 2012
