Court ruling sparks fear of beer garden ban

A HOTEL was yesterday ordered to get rid of its beer garden, prompting fears that other hotels and pubs may be forced to abandon their outside smoking zones.

Since the ban was imposed earlier this year, thousands of hostelries nationwide have built outside beer gardens, specifically designed to cater for smokers. The Vintners’ Federation of Ireland has warned that the ban is ruining thousands of businesses.

But a Dublin court yesterday made destruction of a beer garden a condition of the renewal of the hotel’s drinks licence.