Greene King learns from staff and customers
One hundred of Greene King's top management spent the first day of the smoking ban surveying 5,000 people at 500 of the company's pubs.
Even chief executive Rooney Anand got in on the act by visiting The Eagle in Cambridge and interviewing the licensee, the pub's staff and it customers about the smoking ban as our video shows.
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Their survey found whopping 82% of licensees and 67% of customers said they were "pleased that pubs have gone smoke free".
A total of 45% of customers said they would visit more. And 75% of staff said they were happy their workplace is now smoke free.
The company has also revealed it the lessons it has learnt from its Belhaven business in Scotland - which went smoke-free last year.
The company said that pubs offering good food and a decent shelter are in a position to grow sales.
Modest investment in pubs and a degree of "pragmatism" can deliver results, it said.
In a presentation to analysts, the company said that shelters for smokers was more important than providing external heat. It also reported that it is important to drive drink sales to people outside and protecting machine income was "vital".
One slide showed a semi-enclosed gaming machine in a semi-external area.
The company added: "Quality of unit management (is) still the biggest influence on performance."
Greene King also revealed it now had a premium coffee offer in 224 of its managed pubs - and is offering late food in a further 266 sites.
It is offering Coffee Republic at a number of sites inside the M25, Coffee Express at family and value venues and Segafredo at destination dining outlets.
