RESTAURANTS in Parramatta’s Eat Street will have to obey stringent rules to lift the look of the area and to improve pedestrian access.

But Parramatta Council will not ban smoking in outdoor areas, despite heavy lobbying from cancer care groups.

Instead, restaurants are expected to set aside about half of their outdoor dining areas for non-smokers with clear signage.

They also have to provide wind-proof ashtrays and keep the area clear of cigarette butts.

Parramatta Council has updated its outdoor dining policy to bring all restaurants in line over space taken up for outdoor dining and to standardise umbrellas and awnings.

Councillors had been concerned about “table creep”, with some restaurants putting in more tables and chairs than originally approved, hindering pedestrian access down the restaurant strip.

They also were concerned over the variety of umbrellas and awnings used, putting a blight on the look of the restaurant strip.

* Tables should be more towards the kerb than the restaurant to allow for pedestrian access and window-browsing;

“elegant”;

transparent;

furniture;

lighting.