Cafe Society ?

[mikey4444]

I was walking through a small Valleys town yesterday. The weather was beautiful and very un-November like. I noticed that every cafe, and Pub had seating outside, even Greggs ! And I thought....oh how Continental ! How very gay, in the old sense of the word !

But then it suddenly dawned on me !....Nothing to do with us wanting to take on the habits of Montmartre, or La Croisette. Its the ruddy smokers !

Jst an observation, and a little rant I suppose !

[Svejk]

We have all those outside tables here. And smoking's banned anywhere/everywhere in the town centre. Perhaps people just are gayer, mikey.

[Old_Geezer]

Unsure they should be allowed to extend their business onto the pavement making things awkward for passing pedestrians.

[mikey4444]

OG......I would liked to have sat down and had a cappuccino as well, but the reek from the cigarettes was too overpowering.

Perhaps it might have been more authentic if they had been smoking Gauloises !

[Sqad]

Good point mikey.

I love the Cafe Culture, breakfast with good coffee ( not UK coffee) with sun on one"s back is unbeatable. However, you are correct, in that all the smokers have been banished to the outside tables, defeating the object of eating and drinking Al fresco.

There seems to be no answer.

[-SharonA-]

Makes you feel like you're on your holidays.

[Sqad]

Sharon........I was wrong about you.........you are OK.

[mikey4444]

Morning Sqad !

I would imagine it must be worse for you in the Med. I haven't been to Spain for 40 years but the last 3 times I have been abroad, its been to Italy, and everybody seems to smoke there !

Bouncer...I would like to reclaim the word gay, back from our friends of Dorothy.............its a lovely word that people are afraid to use now, which is a pity.

[-SharonA-]

Phew, thanks for that Sqad!! Luv u too.

[ichkeria]

Even Ukraine has now banned smoking in pubs, although it will soon be too chilly to sit outside :-)
In fairness I think outside seating started before the smoking ban, tho I agree that it's done nothing to discourage it

[netibiza]

Yes the ruddy smokers. Kill any pleasure of sitting outside and taking the fresh air. I wish all councils would ban it.

[netibiza]

I always sit outside having my coffee (not English coffee!) even in the rain and cold so hopefully the ruddy smokers will bogg off elsewhere in the winter.

[mikey4444]

netibiza... I have seen old ladies sitting under umbrellas, outside on the pavement, puffing away !

I know they are addicts, and they have my sympathy but couldn't they wait until they get home ?

[jomifl]

What is English coffee? It doesn't grow in England.

[wolf63]

I don't drink coffee or smoke - would I still be able to sit outside the café with my food and fizzy drink?

[jno]

if people are sitting on the pavement they may have more pollution to contend with than comes from cigarettes.

You can say "gay" all you want, mikey. But because its meaning has changed substantially, you run the risk of being misunderstood, which is always a good reason for choosing words with care.

[melv16]

They have tables outside Greggs cos the customers are too big to get through the doors :-)

[mikey4444]

jno...(13:11)...that is why I made it quite plain in the original post !

[mikey4444]

lol Melv !