Closing time called on early opening

The early opening time of one of Vienna’s traditional coffee houses, Café Drechsler, has fallen victim to a tobacco smoking ban, according to a story in the Vienna Times.

Café Drechsler has been forced to introduce a full smoking ban because of the combined effect of its own architecture and the country’s smoking regulations; so it is no longer opening its doors at 3 a.m., but at 8 a.m.

Manager Manfred Stallmajer was quoted as saying that most of the people who visited coffee houses late at night were smokers, and therefore a smoke-free coffee house didn’t work.

“It is a real shame as now this 90-year-old tradition has been forced to come to an end,” he said.

The full story is at http://viennatimes.at/news/Panorama/2013-08-27/29615/Smoking_Law_forces_change_in_Cafe_Drechsler_opening_hours.