Bellevue Square Will Ban Smoking Inside The Mall

BELLEVUE

After March 28, people will no longer be able to smoke anywhere inside Bellevue Square, and people who want to smoke will have to stand outside. Don Wilson, assistant manager, said Bellevue Square is joining the majority of other shopping centers in banning smoking.

"This was a response to complaints from customers and other merchants," Wilson said. The smoking ban will start on the first day of the mall's "Healthy Choices" Health Fair, which will be held March 28-29.

Wilson said there were too many problems with allowing smoking in certain areas, such as trash around the four designated smoking areas and fires in the trash containers from people dumping their cigarettes. There were also problems with the smoke making the clothes inside the stores smell, and complaints from customers with asthmatic conditions and other illnesses who were bothered by cigarette smoke.

"You could designate smoking areas, but the merchants near those areas complain," Wilson said.