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French government bans café terrace heating

The until-now familiar heating devices to allow more comfortable al fresco conditions for clients of French bars and cafés, notably allowing smokers a space outside tobacco-free indoor drinking and dining, are to be banned after the coming winter as part of what is officially decribed as an environmental measure to clampdown on superfluous energy consumption.

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France's government has announced new environmental measures, including a ban on heated terraces for cafes and bars, reports BBC News.

Ecology minister Barbara Pompili said outside heating or air conditioning was an "ecological aberration".

The ban will not come into force until after the winter as restaurants have been hard hit by Covid-19, she added.

All heated or air-conditioned buildings open to the public will also have to keep their doors closed to avoid wasting energy.

Ms Pompili told reporters it was wrong for shops to "air-condition the streets" in summer by keeping their doors open just to spare customers from having to open them.

"Neither should terraces be heated in winter so people can feel warm as they drink coffee," she said.

Trade groups say more than 75% of restaurants and cafes in the Paris area have a heated terrace.

A few French cities have already banned them but Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo refused to do so, saying it would be too much of a blow to businesses.

Ms Pompili said officials would talk to owners about ways of implementing measure after the winter.

She was appointed by new Prime Minister Jean Castex, who has pledged 20 million euros ($23m; £18.2m) for climate-related investment, as part of a 100 million-euro stimulus plan aimed at helping the economy recover from the coronavirus pandemic.

Read more of this report from BBC News.