In the hands of the pub companies...or the gods?

As I was boarding the Buzz Lightyear Laser Blast ride in Disneyland Paris with my seven-year-old son last week (for the umpteenth time), my colleague Publican deputy editor Daniel Pearce was busy quizzing JD Wetherspoon's bosses on its half year results.

Notable in chief executive John Hutson's presentation - the 207 per cent increase in the interim dividend took at least one City analyst completely by surprise - was his comment that the impact of the English and Welsh smoking bans was, to a certain extent, "in the lap of the gods".

Religious imagery aside, one can infer from this that all that can be done in the group's estate has been done. And many others would agree this is true of their own estates.

The creation of better facilities and offers to attract new, non-smoking punters is de rigueur across the industry right now, and it's obvious that those who prepare thoroughly stand the best chance of success. But nothing's guaranteed. Wetherspoon has had its fingers burned by the smoking/no smoking experience, its roll-out of smoke-free pubs two years ago proving… tricky. True, the playing field wasn't as even then as it is now.

So what will be the killer offer in terms of retaining and attracting trade? It won't just be one element, but a combination. In Wetherspoon's case one assumes price will continue to play a significant part, although the group claims it's attracting a growing proportion of more aspirational - and affluent - clientele.

Despite recent increases Wetherspoon prices are at a 23 per cent discount to its rivals, which at least offers it upside leverage in the months ahead.

Whether its traditional customer base south of the border will shell out more for their pints in the coming months remains to be seen. I expect the gods know the answer already.