Pubs ready for stub out

Michelle Perrett looks at how the trade plans to cope with a possible ban on smoking. Reports that a smoking ban is on its way are nothing new to licensees. But as it moves closer, operators are starting to think of ways they can adjust their premises to meet the needs of both smoking and non-smoking customers.

Last month Stuart Ross, boss of Belhaven Brewery, announced an investment of £2m to make adjustments to his 250 premises to ensure they are ready for the smoking ban which is coming into force in Scotland next year.

He is looking to develop new sheltered areas outside many of the group's pubs. He has completed a survey across the estate and more than 80 per cent of venues will be involved in the creation of new comfort zones, outside heaters, new beer gardens to free standing branded ash trays designed to withstand the worst weather.

While Wales is expecting its own smoking ban, likely to come into force in 2006, England faces a ban based on food.

Any venue serving food will have to be non-smoking while wet-led venues will be given the right to stay no-smoking.

However, at the first Publican Industry Leaders' Forum last month pub bosses said they believed an all-out ban was "inevitable".

This heralds much confusion for licensees. How do they act to stop alienating their smoking customers but still meet the requirements of the law? Inevitably more and more operators are looking at ways of introducing outside areas and are having to be more creative about how they are going to get round the inevitable smoking ban.

S&N Pub Enterprises (S&NPE) has been doing its own research including looking at the situation in Ireland to decide which approach it will take. It is expected to reveal its strategy in August following a smoking summit to discuss the issues. However, S&NPE is already in the process of trialling a range of external drinking areas in three or four of its pubs to see the impact and what works in the sites.

Rob Jones, commercial manager for the Scotland and Northumberland region of S&NPE, says: "We have sent out area managers and project teams over to Ireland during the summer and they have all gone to different types of pubs."

The company has also canvassed its 180 tenants in Scotland to get their views.

"A hundred per cent of them are against it and very few have any smoke provision in place. Licensees are expecting the lead from us as landlords," says Rob.

He says that the company's research in Ireland has revealed that community pubs prefer to have a smoking area at the back of the pub rather than the front. He says: "People don't want to be seen smoking and need to get out of the line of sight. We are looking to invest with licensees and will support them in terms of external drinking areas.

"We want to look at this in the more positive light of introducing external drinking areas."

Managed operator Mitchells & Butlers has launched its first trial by banning smoking in 12 of its pubs in Grimsby.

Spirit Group is also about to conduct a major roll-out of improvements to gardens across its estate.

Outdoor rooms​

The Timber Decking Association (TDA) is predicting a surge in the sales of decking as operators start to look at ways round the ban. The TDA says that when smoking was banned in Ireland in March 2004 many businesses turned to decking to create outdoor rooms where customers could smoke and relax without breaking the law.

"As a consequence demand for commercial decking increased dramatically," says Steve Young, director of the TDA. "Decking is the ideal way for property owners and developers to blur the boundary between indoors and outside and is the quickest and most cost effective way of creating an unenclosed space for customers to enjoy."

Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations, comments: "I think we have got to accept smoking will be banned eventually. I think licensees should be encouraging customers now to accept part of their pub as being no-smoking. Adjustments to your premises will cost money."

How others pubcos are planning for future​

Want to find out how other operators are preparing for a smoking ban? Philip Lay (pictured)​, retail director for Brains, will be giving his views on how to prepare for a possible smoking ban at The Publican Property Conference on November 3 at the Queen Elizabeth II Centre in London.

Barry Gillham, chairman of Fleurets, is chairing the conference, which also features Trevor Watson from property agent Davis Coffer Lyons who will look at the legislation issues facing the property sector. Jeremy Allen of licensing lawyers Poppleston Allen will discuss the property implications of the new Licensing Act. And a panel debate will look at ways the trade can ensure rogue recruitment companies are stopped from leasing pubs.

To book tickets and to secure a 15 per cent early bird discount contact Michele Hams, conference director, on 020 8565 4399, via micheleh@the publican.com​ or go to www.publicanconference.co.uk​.