Media Release

15 March 2017

Smokefree Cafés - Boat Shed Rawene

New Owners Continue Smokefree Outdoor Dining

Beale Hohaia and Teresa Taylor, new owners of the iconic Boat Shed Café and Gallery in Rawene, are continuing the smokefree outdoor dining that the previous owners put in place 16-years ago.

Teresa Taylor owner of the Boatshed was presented with a new Smokefree Cafe Award for their continuation of the smokefree outdoor dining policy.

“We wanted to keep the smokefree policy as we just don’t like smoking and we don’t think that smoking and eating go together. Most of our existing customers appreciate it, not everyone smokes and all of our staff are smokefree,” said Teresa.

“It is a great example of creating a better environment for staff and creating a more enjoyable dining experience. The Hokianga community continues to show strong leadership around smokefree with 3 tobacco-free retailers and three Smokefree cafes and hope that other premises will follow suit,” say Bridget Rowse Smokefree Adviser, Northland District Health Board.

“Most of our customers have been very supportive. Some tourists are surprised when we tell them we are smokefree and you can see the relief on the other diners faces when we tell them,” Teresa continues.

Cancer Society and Northland DHB regard smokefree outdoor areas as a worthwhile step towards reducing the visibility of smoking, creating more smokefree environments and moving us closer towards achieving the government’s national Smokefree 2025.

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