Majority of customers would like smoking restrictions, says survey
Pub owners were shocked to learn yesterday that the vast majority of their customers are calling for smoking regulations in their outlets.
Revealed exclusively at The Publican Conference, The Publican Newspaper/Britvic Soft Drinks Pub-Goers Survey showed that 90 per cent of pub customers were unhappy with the common "smoking throughout" policy and would like to see designated smoking areas becoming the norm.
The news surprised many trade leaders who believe that smoking bans in pubs will devastate trade.
Indeed, the findings of the Publican's recent Market Report showed that 92 per cent of the 1,000 publicans surveyed feared they would lose some or all of their business through smoking bans, with the average loss of trade calculated at 41 per cent.
The Pub-Goers Survey, conducted by independent market researchers NOP among 400 pub-goers and 75 non pub-goers, revealed that 22 per cent want no-smoking throughout, 38 per cent want to see a designated smoking area in the bar, 27 per cent a no smoking dining area, three per cent a ban on smoking at the bar and only nine per cent were happy with the current "smoking throughout" policy adopted by most pubs.
Simon Emeny, retail director at London brewer Fuller, Smith and Turner, said he was worried that the Government will use the figures to interfere.
"In our estate, a greater proportion of our customers smoke than don't smoke and many of our pubs are over 100 years old so it's not easy to introduce designated areas. Although we are improving ventilation, smoking bans are impractical and impossible to implement in many pubs and the Government must accept this."
Tim Martin, chairman of JD Wetherspoon, said: "People are far more aware of the smoking issue and attitudes are hardening as time goes by. Pubs are among the few places which don't have to offer smoke-free areas and what these figures show is that pubs must increase the amount of no-smoking areas and improve their ventilation before the Government slaps complete bans on the trade. If this happens many pubs will go out of business."
Through the industry's Charter Group, pubs are being encouraged to self-regulate by improving ventilation and displaying one of several signs stating the pub's smoking policy, whether it be smoking throughout or a no-smoking area.
Charter Group spokesman Nick Bish said: "The survey figures give the trade an incentive to respond to what customers want. Having a pub which allows smoking throughout does not mean the outlet has to be smoky and pubcos need to check their options and budgets."
Mr Bish said the Charter Group was on track to have 50 per cent of pubs Charter compliant by January 2003. Its latest figures should be released mid-November.
According to the Market Report, 39 per cent of pubs now have a no-smoking area - a rise of four per cent on last year's figure.
Smoking preferences of customers
The Publican Newspaper/Britvic Soft Drinks Pub-Goers Survey was conducted by NOP to establish what the public really think of pubs. A full report on the survey's findings, including charts and graphs will be available online from thePublican.com from Monday.