Robinsons

William Robinson

Director

How many pubs do you operate?

405.

How many of those are already smoke-free?

50.

How much have you invested in preparing your outlets for the ban?

Investment is substantial and ongoing as planning applications are progressed and both the company and its tenants continue to prepare for, and then implement the ban.

Significant investment in terms of time and money has already been made in many of Robinsons houses in preparation for 1 July. In addition, as planning applications continue to gain approval, the process of adapting to the smoking ban will see further changes and developments to the pubs within the estate.

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

Robinsons operates a diverse estate of town and country pubs with both wet and dry-led operations. The impact of the ban on each house is likely to vary significantly dependent on the type of venue, its offering and the weather. The overall effect on trade is likely to be negative.

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

Summer 2006.

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

A series of 14 roadshows have been presented to tenants around the estate to explain how they will be affected, how to prepare for the ban and how they will be supported.

A Smoking Solutions Guidance document was prepared and distributed to all licensees.

A firm of architects has been appointed to work with the company's in-house architects and its tenants in preparation for the ban.

Prices have been negotiated with suppliers of key items such as outdoor heaters and furniture to provide licensees with the best possible purchasing power.

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

Yes.