Sunday, March 31, 2013

Montreal's attempt to ban dinner by candlelight

In early 1961 Montreal 's public candlelit dinners were permitted only in
pool halls and billiard joints
  Dining by candlelight was the thing to do in Montreal after the war and in 1960 just about every restaurant in town had a little wax and flame going on the table while you ate.
   But in September 1960 Montreal city council banned public candles.with Article 5-3 of Bylaw 2572.
  The bylaw made it prohibited "to use any flame for lighting or decorative purpose in a public hall."
   The city explained that restaurants were considered public halls, so the fire squad was ordered to make sure nobody lit a candle in a restaurant as of around January 5, 1961.
   Pool rooms and bowling alleys were exempted from the rule, however.
   So if you wanted to have a nice romantic candlelit dinner, the local pool hall was the place to go.
   Of course the tourist board and others cried foul.
   We're not sure how hard fire inspectors ever tried to enforce the bylaw but our impression is that the initiative was eventually extinguished.   

1 comment:

  1. Schools, churches, and movie theatres were also exempt. As the article says, it was illegal to light a match in a movie theatre, but no one could stop you walking in with a lit candle.

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