Licensees told not to panic over smoke ban
Licensees have been urged not to panic over plans for a smoking ban in the White Paper on Public Health.
Broad proposals revealed by health secretary John Reid this week confirmed that smoking will be banned in pubs serving food, while non-food pubs and private members bars are set to be exempt from the ban.
Many licensees have been left outraged by the government decision but a deadline of 2008 has left trade leaders confident there is time to make changes and avoid serious harm to business.
"We are not going to run around like headless chickens," said Mark Hastings, director of communication at the British Beer and Pub Association. "We have to approach this coolly, calmly and collectively. The important thing is that we have until 2008 to talk this through with government and prepare."
Nick Bish, chief executive of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, added: "The industry has done a fantastic job but we have to recognise the public mood and despite what is said there are not people marching in protest to keep smoking in pubs. So the message is keep doing what we are doing."
The Department of Health (DoH) has confirmed that the propsals in the white paper are not open to debate, so any consultation that takes place will focus on how the legislation will work in practice.
"The proposals in the paper are written in stone," said a DoH spokeswoman. "They are already the result of a consultation. Interested parties and stakeholders will have a say during the legislation making process."
John McNamara, chief executive of the British Institute of Innkeeping, said: "It's clear that there isn't room to manoeuvre on this but I'll be keeping a cool head. The industry will go back to the government with feedback on this and they will find that we are already doing things ahead of their requests."
Despite the concerns already voiced by licensees, Atmosphere Improves Results (AIR) has suggested they use the white paper as a 'springboard' to work on smoking policies.
"Some pubs and groups have stalled on smoking improvements, saying that smoking was about to be banned," said AIR's Oliver Griffiths. "There's no excuse now not to get on with it."
Although the white paper focuses only on England, Welsh health minister Jane Hutt has claimed it presents legislative opportunities to take forward Welsh Assembly proposals on a smoking ban as well.
Ms Hutt said: "For nearly two years the Assembly has made its support for banning smoking in public places known. The commitment given in the white paper will allow us to move forward towards this goal."
New research announced at the Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations Conference this week shows beer sales have dropped 10 per cent in Ireland since a ban was introduced in March.
By the end of 2008:
- all restaurants will be smoke-free
- all pubs and bars preparing and serving food will be smoke-free
- other pubs and bars will be free to choose to allow smoking or to be smoke-free
- in membership clubs the members will be free to choose whether to allow smoking not
- smoking in the bar area will be banned everywhere.
Related articles:
Food or fags choice for licensees (18 November 2004)
Smoking banned in most pubs (16 November 2004)
ALMR: pubs facing hard decision (16 November 2004)
Fury over smoking decision (16 November 2004)
