Off for a smoke, are you? One euro, please

Nacho Moreno walks down the tunnel leading out of the nightclub and pulls out a cigarette pack, ready to have a smoke outdoors as the new law mandates. But before he sets a foot outside the premises, a bouncer calls out: "Where are you going?" "Out for a smoke," says Moreno. "You need a stamp for that; it'll cost you a euro." Moreno looks amazed. "Since when do you have to pay to smoke?" "It's not that; it's the stamp. You don't have to pay if you don't want to, but then you will need to pay the cover charge again to get back inside the club," the bouncer replies.

Paying for a hand stamp that lets you back inside has been common in the dance halls of the Levante area and in large events at industrial parks, but the system is proliferating across smaller city clubs ever since the smoking ban went into effect. Business owners justify the move by pointing to a drop in revenues of between 25 and 50 percent, depending on the region. They also cite the added problems of handling lineups for people on the guest list, those who aren't, and now also people constantly walking in and out for a smoke.

"Not illegal"

A spokesman for the consumer association OCU said there is nothing illegal about the practice. "Just as a club can offer free admission or charge a cover, it can also charge patrons to walk out. But it does need to provide prior warning." Yet the practice has caused a sharp rise in consumer complaints, sector representatives admit. Javier Vicent, owner of a nightclub called Murray, says that the goal is to keep clients inside the establishment for as long as possible. The average period of time has gone down lately, he says, and the cash register is feeling the consequences. Although charging for a stamp sounds like a deterrent against leaving the premises, Vicent describes it as just another service, like the coat check.

In Mediterranean provinces such as Alicante, Murcia and Castellón, people have long been accustomed to paying the fee. But elsewhere the measure is taking some customers aback. "What, pay to go out and smoke? Are they nuts? That's impossible!" says Luis Castilla on the dance floor, and proceeds to try it. He is back soon afterwards. "I've never seen anything like it in my life!" he fumes.

The fact is, club owners are feeling asphyxiated by the long list of rules and regulations they have to comply with. Juanma Alonso, owner of a famous Madrid rock club called Pentagrama, sums it up: "We're a bit lost. It's a matter of finding solutions. This law is a blow to Madrid nightlife."

Just as Alonso is explaining how he was slapped with a 14,000-euro fine the other day for excessive noise at another club he owns, a plainclothes police officer holds out a badge and says: "Are you the owner of this establishment? Show me all your licenses, please." "What did I tell you?" he says, a resigned look on his face.