My Shout
David Elliott says the smoke ban plan shows the trade's influence with ministers has hit a new low
While relaxing recently, enjoying my fourth pint of GK IPA and a Cuban cigar in my local pub, it dawned on me that I had become, in our Government's eyes, a binge drinker. I waited to find out if my personality changed, leading me to run amok around my village. I can report that I behaved impeccably. My point, of course, is that we really are now living in a nanny state and that the Government is dictating what's right for the individual - which I cannot accept. I then pontificated on whether the proposed smoking ban will run 'for as long as the proposed licensing legislation'.
We all now know that the Government eventually reached a decision on smoking when it launched the Public Health Improvement Bill last week. Unfortunately, its proposals have left the industry completely baffled and pub and bar operators bemused. My real concern is that, once again, the organisations acting on behalf of the industry - and I take a share of that responsibility - have failed to convince ministers of the trade's position. Our overall influence with the Government is now at an all-time low. Perhaps we should start reminding them once again of the £20bn-plus per year that we donate to the Exchequer!
Having said all that, we have to agree that smoking kills. The World Health Organisation and the British Medical Association have recently highlighted the real facts relating to smoking which they believe to be the 'big public health issue of our time'. These organisations have clearly identified that smoking is a direct cause of many different types of cancer and also that passive smoking from second-hand smoke causes serious issues for those with asthma and other respiratory illnesses.
They also confirmed that lighting up reduces a smoker's life expectancy on average by eight years. That's a hell of a lot of potential business lost! I will repeat once again my challenge to the industry. See the ban as a potential source of income. Millions of adults do not use pubs and the number one reason they give is that they are smoky. At the same time, unless we create a 'Wow' every time a customer visits they will continue to vote with their feet.
We need to create a warm welcome, ensure that the service is fantastic and that when they leave licensees and their staff have provided a compelling reason why they should return. Of course the great alternative to the ban is to create external areas for smokers. A recent survey of the Pub Partners estate confirmed that 94% of our pubs have a patio/garden that can be used post-June 2007.
Finally, we interviewed a number of licensees in Cork recently when considering the potential ban. They all confirmed that business had improved in the last six months and in some instances was back to the levels of the pre-Irish ban. However, they also advised us to provide some additional air fresheners to cope with the body odour and flatulence that was previously masked by the smoke. Now that's an opportunity for someone!
