Marston's

Andrew Andrea Operations director Marston's Pub Company

Peter Dalzell Operations director Marston's Inns & Taverns

How many pubs do you operate?

Marston's Pub Company: 1,700 leased outlets.

Marston's Inns & Taverns: 550 managed houses.

How many of those outlets are already smoke-free?

Marston's Pub Company: 250.

Marston's Inns & Taverns: 60.

How much have you invested in preparing your outlets for the ban? This can include everything from PoS to information packs, as well as structural changes.

Investment will be £20m across the estates.

In terms of structural changes only, how much money has been invested - on average - in each outlet?

Marston's Pub Company: on average £8,000 per pub.

Marston's Inns & Taverns: on average £15,000 per pub.

In your view, which single outlet in the estate has made the most impressive changes? Please give details and how much the work has cost?

Marston's Pub Company: Pubs were assessed on their current trading space and investment was made on a pub by pub basis to ensure each outlet was properly prepared and could take full advantage of the new business opportunities.

Marston's Inns & Taverns: We have created 100 all-weather gardens to a standard template that has cost us £35,000 per garden.

What impact do you think the smoke ban will have on trade?

Marston's Pub Company: The ban does present an issue to those pubs that do not prepare effectively. In our view we have made best endeavours to ensure all of our pubs, where we are able to invest in external drinking areas, have been invested in. The ban also presents some key consumer opportunities - food, family, females and over fifties (the four Fs).

Marston's Inns & Taverns: We believe that the well prepared pubs moving their business towards more food will benefit in the long run. In contrast, ill prepared wet-led pubs may suffer as a result of the ban.

Did you set up a special team to manage the transition to go smoke-free? If yes, when was the group established?

Marston's Pub Company: January 2006.

Marston's Inns & Taverns: January 2006.

Have you produced any material explaining the changes and circulated it around your estate? If yes, please give a few brief details.

Marston's Pub Company: Yes - constant communication with all pubs. New signage packs were sent to each pub ahead of the ban.

Marston's Inns & Taverns: Yes - we created a glossy 20-page booklet for every licensee that detailed their responsibilities towards staff and customers and also details on the law. We also held a roadshow for all managers, which we took around the country.

Did you have a team of advisers visiting pubs to advise on the legislation and help them find a suitable solution?

Marston's Pub Company: Yes.

Marston's Inns & Taverns: No - we did it in consultation with our home authority.