LETTERs

The smoking ban starts to bite

Is there any hope left for this country? Sunday saw the first day of the smoking ban in pubs. It was the first day of the loss of hundreds of years of culture; the first day of the traditional British pub's demise.

Why hasn't the Government learned that this is not what the people of this country wanted? (A Mori poll found 67% of people wanted a choice.) Why hasn't it looked at the other countries and seen the devastation that this has caused.

I've heard rumours that in Ireland 1,200 pubs have now closed, in Scotland 250 have shut and that 16 bingo halls have closed down. I've also heard that in Wales, after only two months of the smoke ban there, a number of pubs are now on a five-day week and closing early at night to try to save on the energy bills because the pubs are empty.

England is next. The BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) has predicted 5,000 pubs will close in England in the next three to four years - an acceleration in the current closure rate caused by the ban - and all because of unproven junk science and downright lies by a minority government-funded charity called Action on Smoking and Health (Ash).

Ash is even quoted in a national paper saying that it has all been a confidence trick to stop the country smoking.

But let's be clear about this, there are 13 million smokers in this country and they won't be lying down for this unjust law.

Pubs all across the country will be putting out the ashtrays again because they have nothing to lose. I already know of a number of pubs that are doing this now.

Let the pubs have a choice over whether they're smoking or non-smoking, then market forces will dictate what will happen. That's democracy.

Tony Blows

The Dog Inn

Hereford

Going soft on polycarbonates

There has been much talk of late about global warming and it's effect on our environment.

At least glass is 100% recyclable whereas a lot of plastic isn't. At the same time NFC (not from concentrate) juices have on average, at least a four times higher carbon footprint than concentrates!

Mind you with the current "summer" weather we are experiencing, perhaps we should all buy Humvee cars and get the temperature up!

Martin Hartridge

Hartridges Soft Drinks

Hampshire

Ready for the apocalypse?

Here in Wales, some pubs' takings are down at least 30% - because of the ban, and also because they're in working-class areas.

The interest-rate rise is taking its toll - people don't have the money to visit pubs, and they can drink at home, but apparently even Tesco's sales are down.

The Government that introduced the ban has also borrowed to fund wars on terror, and that's pushing up the base-rate.

Don't let them tell you that the Bank of England is increasing the rate because it doesn't want the nation borrowing so much.

The Government borrowed £37bn last year - that's why the rate went up. But it still wants and expects taxes in the form of rates!

It could take you up to a year to have rates reassessed - and don't forget your Sky bill is dependent on your rateable value (RV).

If your takings have plummeted - and if it's bad weather now - what will October bring? Customers won't want to stand in a draughty smoking shelter or the wet street to have a fag.

They'll stay at home.

Your only option is to try to decrease your RV, quickly.

Complain to your MP. If enough of us complain, they might realise the problem.

Tell your local authority that you can't pay your rates because Labour's actions mean you're not breaking even. And if you make losses, you face closure!

Rates are the only fixed cost. Most of the pubs that closed recently probably had a high RV.

If you want to check your rates (and any other business rates) visit the RV website: www.voa.gov.uk

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