BBPA claims nearly one in three pubs will become drinking dens
by Ewan Turney
The Government's smoking ban proposals will force 16,000 pubs almost one in three to give up food and become drinking dens.
Last week's Health White Paper is also likely to force people seeking choice into the already overcrowded high street in what appears to be a double whammy against social responsibility, according to one trade leader.
The main bone of contention in the White Paper remains the fear that pubs will be forced to make a stark choice between smokers and food.
Early estimates from the British Beer and Pub Association (BBPA) suggest that more than 16,000 pubs could ditch food in favour of becoming smoke-filled "drinking dens". Government estimates put that figure nearer 6,000. However, BBPA director of communications Mark Hastings said the Government estimates were based on analysis of turnover from food sales and not profit margins. He said: "Most profit in pubs still comes from drink sales."
Federation of Licensed Vic-tuallers Associations chief executive Tony Payne fears many community pubs will close as a result of the proposals. He said: "My concern is it will drive more people into the town centre where the alleged binge drinking takes place."
He added: "Many community pubs will simply not be viable as they rely on both food and drink incomes. Town centre outlets will survive as they are part of a circuit, but community pubs may be the only venue in the area and so will suffer."
Yates chief executive Mark Jones slammed the policy as a "potentially unworkable solution" that would force him to drop food in a significant number of outlets. He said: "My initial thoughts are that we would have to, with great reluctance, remove food from between 10% and 20% of our estate, as the loss in liquor sales would outweigh the growth in food sales."
Rival high-street operator JD Wetherspoon agreed that the policy seemed "illogical". Spokes-man Eddie Gershon said: "We have always believed that serving food is a good way of tempering binge drinking."
The quandary over whether to ditch food was, perhaps, best summed up by St Austell brewery which owns 156 pubs. Head of marketing Jeremy Mitchell said: "Do we continue encouraging tenants to develop their food offer or do they focus on serving the important wet sales customers, many of whom still want a cigarette with their drink?"
Laurel chief executive Ian Payne added: "I expect high street pubs will just stop serving food, which is rather disingenuous of the Government in regard to social responsibility concerns."
However, the BBPA's Hastings pointed out: "We can seek to shape a policy that better reflects the needs of the industry."
l Irish host fined p3
l Round-up p4-5
l Protz column p8
l Burning issue p14
l Leader & letters p17
l Jefford's viewpoint p22
l My Pub column p25
MA Comment
Thousands of licensees are dismayed by Government's plans for smoking in pubs. And who can blame them. Why should anyone lose trade by being forced to choose between food and smoking? Especially when it's perfectly possible to have both in the same pub, without harming your staff or the customers who want to avoid smoke.
Does the Government realise what damage it will do pubs if its plans go ahead? Thousands of pubs will stop serving food. Thousands will become bog standard smoking dens. Just how civilised is that? And what will tourists make of it all? It's fine to create a "continental bar" culture with new licensing laws, but if people can't enjoy the full range of activities the Great British Pub has to offer, what's being gained?
Smokers still make up nearly half of the pubs' customers. They are an integral part of the social mix and traditional character of the trade. We don't want to lose them from mainstream pubs.
There are two simple ways to get round this problem.
1) All smoking must be done in an enclosed room, with no-smoking at that room's bar. Other rooms can serve food.
2) Pubs can be non-smoking at one stage of the day, and smoking at another stage. This lets them serve food at lunchtime in a smoke-free environment, and purely wet (or with pre-packaged food, if required) with smoking in the evening.
We call on Government to prove it understands the needs of businessmen in this toughest of businesses. Give pub customers the right to enjoy smoking and eating in the same pub, as long as the two activities are separate.
To help us persuade Government to re-think, please drop us a line of support. See address details on page 17