MADISON, Wis. -- With the new year right around the corner, smokers have only a few days left if they want to light up in a handful of Madison restaurants.

Six Madison restaurants were allowed to skirt the city's smoking ban six months after the ban took effect at other businesses on July 1. All restaurants will now be smoke free as of Jan. 3.

The restaurants were given a reprieve by the Madison City Council because they spent money to build special rooms in their establishments with separate ventilation systems to accommodate smokers.

At American Table Family Restaurant in the 1200 block of North Sherman Avenue, owner Duli Ajdini said that he spent $160,000 about 10 years ago to build the room. At the time, city officials told Ajdini that the investment would ensure his customers could continue to smoke, WISC-TV reported.

Ajdini said that his unique status didn't seem to help.

"There was no advantage of all because the whole city of Madison thought I was non-smoking," he said. "So, my smoking business really went down. And people are surprised now when they see I'm smoking. They want to smoke."

Many of Ajdini's customers told WISC-TV that they'll be forced to restaurants outside Madison to have a meal and a smoke.

Ajdini said that he feels betrayed by the city.

"It's going to affect me a lot," he said. "I'm probably going to have to lay off some employees."

Gary Poulson, Tobacco Free Dane County spokesman and a former alderman, said that he supports the smoking ban.

"No one wants to see businesses close in this city, but I think we have to see what happens," Poulson said. "I think their fears are unfounded."

Poulson said that while 10 years ago separate ventilation systems seemed like a good compromise, it's not enough to guarantee public health, WISC-TV reported.