New customers at a third of pubs since ban

According to results from the Publican's​ smoking ban survey one in three licensees have attracted new customers in the last year.

The research - conducted by CGA Strategy - has revealed that 30 per cent of the 1,500 licensees quizzed said they had seen new people coming through the doors since the ban was introduced last year.

A further 64 per cent said they had not seen any new customers and six per cent said they did not know.

The figures also revealed that one in five pubs are now seeing more women and families coming though their doors.

A total of 17 per cent of respondents said they now had more female customers.

Those who had seen more female custom said there was a "significant increase in "girl groups" visiting outlets and that there was an increase in couples where previously the man would have drunk alone.

Meanwhile 19 per cent of pubs have seen an increase in families.

Of those who did not attract more families many did not cater for children or serve food - according to previous CGA research "this is where the trade has been impacted most and closures are at their most prominent."

The research also shows that the majority of licensees are complying with the measures.

Ninety-six per cent of publicans polled said they had not allowed smoking in their pub since July 1 last year.

The three per cent that allowed it said it was in the early stages of the ban, where people had forgotten the law had changed.

Some licensees said they had caught customers smoking in the toilets.