The city council of Reykjavík has just sent a request to several bars, restaurants and clubs in Reykjavík central ordering them to shorten their opening hours during weekends.
The request has sent out due to grievances from residents in the area who complain about noise and filthy streets around the bars on Friday and Saturday nights. Morgunbladid reports
The bar owners blame the smoking ban for these problems. Smoking was banned in bars in June 2007 and since then there have been discussions among bar owners who want to set up facilities for smokers (one bar owner in Ísafjördur made a smoking shelter out of snow in January) but the city council has not granted any licenses to set up tents, shelters, etc.
Bar owners are not satisfied with how the city council has been unwilling to work with them in finding ways to enforce the smoking ban and they believe that shortening opening hours will not help either.
