Sunday 29 May 2011

Countdown to the sun

Well it's been a while since I posted!  Mainly due to the amount of work waiting for me when I got back from France and everyone sending stuff through to get done before I go away to Spain.

By the time I've got home at night I've been 'computered out'.  Made up word I know but that is just about the only word to describe it.  My eyes have been bleary and my brain likewise.

Still with the countdown well and truly here and only 8 more working days before I'm saying ta-ra for now I have to admit that I can't wait!

It's going to be an interesting time on the island this year because it's the first year that our friends have to implement the no smoking ban.  Now whatever your views on the subject you have to feel sorry for those bars that don't have much outside space.  After all if you are a smoker and you are on holiday and going out for the evening to meet up with friends for a meal, drink and good old chat then along with the food and drink goes a smoke.  The bars that have outside space are lucky because the smokers will choose to sit at one of those outside tables where they don't have to keep getting up and going outside when they smoke.

The smaller bars will therefore lose some of the casual custom.  Old timers, like us - who having been returning year after year since 1987, will of course still go to our favourite bars whether we can smoke or not.  After all we are used to it in the UK but it will be a pain and it never looks nice with congregating smokers hanging around outside, but I guess there will never be a happy medium.  There are smokers and there are non-smokers and they will never see eye to eye.

Also I've heard a lot of people talking about their holidays this year in Spain and the vast majority of them are opting for 'all inclusive' deals.  Again this is going to hit the local bars.  The increase in VAT has made it expensive to eat out in comparison with what it used to be like and when you are a family it is far cheaper to go all-in.

Yes I think it will be a difficult year for our Spanish friends - I do hope I am proved wrong on this.

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