In the less-than-two weeks since smoking has been banned in bars around the city, the bylaw department has issued five letters to businesses accused of breaking the regulation.

That was the word this morning from John Taylor, the city's manager of bylaw services.

On Jan. 1, the smoking bylaw, which doesn't allow smoking in public places, began encompassing bars as well.

When the public ban came into effect in 2004, bars and Porter Creek Billiards were given a one-year exemption before they had to fall under the bylaw.

'We have a few hurdles here,' Taylor said of the bylaw coming into effect for bars.

While some bars have been given warning letters and have been visited by bylaw officers, Taylor believes the regulation will be a success.

Some bars are ignoring the regulation, but there are always a few blips when a bylaw is brought into effect, he said.

The city will first issue the warning letters and talk to business owners. However, if a business continually ignores warnings, it will be charged, he warned.

The bylaw department will not give out the names of businesses issued warning letters.

However, Heather Cumming, who manages the Gold Panner Saloon at the Gold Rush Inn on Main Street, said bylaw paid her a visit after receiving a complaint about people smoking in the bar.

Cumming thinks if anyone was smoking at the time suggested, it must have been in the bathroom or hallway because she doesn't recall any smoke in the bar at the time.

'It's been very quiet,' she said in an interview earlier this week.

What's already described as a 'skeleton staff' in the bar has seen their hours reduced as the regular lunch time crowd hasn't been into the establishment. Happy hour is also quiet.

Cumming also noted another factor in the drop in business could be the record-cold temperatures.

As far as following the bylaw, patrons aren't happy but do go outside for a smoke, she said.

'Everybody's been pretty good,' she said.

Like Cumming, Casa Loma Motel owner Craig Tuton has seen a drop in customers at his bar as well. He's hoping the brutal weather is also a factor in the decline in customers.

In an interview Thursday afternoon, Tuton noted only three customers were in the bar at the time.

As for how that compares to this time last year, Tuton replied, 'Down big.'

While a few customers have tried to smoke, the bylaw is being enforced, with smokers having to go outside.

Meanwhile, downtown at the Capital Hotel, manager Jonas Smith said that for the most part, customers are continuing to smoke, using empty beer bottles as ashtrays, which customers have been seen doing at other bars around town.

Smith explained that while the bar has complied with the city's regulation to get rid of its ashtrays and hang the city's no-smoking sign, it's not the bars' job to enforce a bylaw.

He noted the 'mass influx' of non-smokers that was predicted to come with the no-smoking bylaw has yet to materialize.

While the bylaw could have the potential for an unproven market of non-smokers, what it is doing is alienating the proven market of smokers, he believes.

All of a sudden, bars are no longer allowed to cater to that market, he said.

Smith had pushed for the city to permit smoking rooms, an idea the city turned down when the local Royal Canadian Legion requested it for its own building.

The bylaw is destined to be fought in court at costs to both bar owners and the city, he said.

There is a maxium fine of $500 for infractions.