Letters

Smoking ban is Hobson's choice for food pubs

So, hot on the heels of one ill-thought out piece of legislation (the Licensing Act 2003), comes another one - the proposed Smoking in Public Places Act. The illogicality of the proposals is breathtaking in its stupidity.

While I agree that steps should be taken to reduce the effect of second-hand smoke on the health of staff, for example, no smoking at the bar, effective ventilation and air cleaning etc, the whole point of the legislation, as it has been sold to us, is to protect workers in the industry.

Does this not also apply to people in non-food outlets and private clubs, or have they got super-human lungs?

We already have food hygiene laws in place to protect consumers from bad food practice, ie, no smoking in food prep areas and behind the bar.

And as long as there are sufficient notices, the customers can and do make the choice as to whether they dine in a smoking pub or not.

In fact, many of my customers chose to eat at my pub because they can smoke a cigarette after their meal. We have been encouraged over the years to make our businesses more appealing to a broader customer base. I have spent the past four years doing just that.

Whilst my food turnover is very small in relation to my wet sales, it is significant in changing the profile of my business from wet-led, male-dominated to a place that now appeals to a broader cross Section: of the local community.

Economics dictate that I shall have to close my kitchen if this legislation is implemented. At a stroke, all my hard work will be lost.

Community pubs play a great role in the commemorating of local events such as christenings, marriage and funerals.

If I choose to allow smoking then I will not be able to provide food for such events, so there will be a loss of service to the community.

It is a tradition in many parts of the country that the 'home venue' provides free food for visiting sports teams. Will this also be banned if I choose to remain a smoking pub?

We are also encouraged to provide food at major festivals such as New Year's Eve to offset the possibility of drunkenness, again the provision of this service will be lost.

The ratio of food sales in my business is very small (about 3%), so if I close my kitchen it will have no great effect on my profitability. But what about those businesses where food sales account for 10% to 15%, and is a significant profit centre. It is Hobson's choice.

Do they risk losing that percentage in food turnover or the equivalent in wet sales. Also there is the question of gaming machines, in my experience diners don't play these machines. Again another valuable source of revenue will be reduced - surely a source of worry to the big operators on the high street?

This legislation has been put together by bureaucrats who don't know how pubs operate in the community and the resulting botched handling of the issue by the Cabinet proves this.

At least under the current system, and if there was a total ban, there is a level playing field. This half-hearted attempt to please everyone will prove to please no one.

Far from being the best of both worlds, this is the worst of all possible worlds.

Andrew Burdon

Red Lion Inn

Stone

Staffordshire

What's next, a total ban on drinking alcohol?

Having heard the TV news recently, I feel that as a publican the following points have to be made:

Firstly, pubs have had the competition from members' clubs for years - believe it or not, many people join them (and swear allegiance to it's cause if necessary) to enjoy the cheaper priced drinks (compared to pubs).

But with this proposed smoking ban people will now join them to have a smoke as well!

As a publican, I and many others have just spent a lot of time and money on the new Licensing Act debacle, the results of which remain to be seen.

We will now have to deal with the costs of the forthcoming smoking ban, which so far looks like a complete mess.

What next? Alcohol damages your health? Will the Government ban that in enclosed public places, in which case what will pubs do?

Perhaps we could become tourist attractions - as 'Curious establishments from a bygone age', whose purpose was to sell products that killed people until abolished by the Government who took the nanny state too far (no disrespect to nannies).

I wonder if we will be allowed to sell coffee and tea in tourist attractions by then!

Oh well, never mind, we can all smoke cannabis which has been downgraded by the same Government

Lastly, if Patricia Hewitt consulted her environmental health departments across the country, they would inform her, as they have publicans for years, that ice is classed as food.

In most pubs it is prepared in a machine using water (the only ingredient). It is then brought by human hand (using a scoop) from the machine to an ice bucket and placed on the back bar, from which it is dispensed into customer's glasses (if required) by staff using a scoop.

The ice bucket remains with it's contents on the bar until it has gone, or melted (depending how busy the pub is). It is then replenished from the aforementioned machine, and so the cycle of 'food preparation' continues until closing time.

Therefore, any pub that serves 'ice' is classed as a pub that 'serves food' and should therefore be included in any smoking ban.

Jerry Hudson

'Disgruntled' licenseee

The Farmhouse

Langshott

Horley

Surrey

RH6 8PB

Surrey