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Amazing how so much of the downside trade news doesn't get reported by the main stream press. BREWING firm Daniel Thwaites has recorded a fall in day-to-day business partly because of the effect of the smoking ban. The Blackburn-based company has issued its interim results for the six months ending September which reveal operating profits fell seven per cent from £9.6million for the same period in 2006 to £8.9million. Turnover was also down from £83.8million to £82.7million. And another Boat business takes a dive Time could be called on a marine club in Wolverhampton, which bosses claim is being killed off by the smoking ban. Oxley Marine Club in The Wharf, Oxley Moor Road, has been run for the past three-and-a-half years by Janet and Dennis Mable. They hire out a boat for canal trips, birthday parties and Christmas parties. But the couple, both aged 55, told today how they are staring at financial ruin after just one booking was made for the boat in the last eight weeks, despite it normally attracting interest every weekend and on weekdays. They say the smoking ban, which also applies to boats, has wrecked their business, which now faces a grim year ahead unless more people take advantage of it. The narrowboat, which costs £160 for two hours, can be used for tours around the canal network or to host celebration-style events. It rests next to a small social club also run by the couple, which is also struggling. They say drinkers don’t want to go outside in “sub-zero temperatures” and are opting instead for bars with smoking shelters instead. Mrs Mable said: “We haven’t had a single Christmas party booking this year

Nice side step Jon, so you are saying you were content to visit a pub that was so badly run that people openly snorted 'coke' in the toilets and they were happy to tell a super dooper performing licensee to get lost, and you did. Heaven only knows then what goes on in your place Jon when you are in your office. Would it not have been the proper thing to do to say, stop doing it or I will report you. Or like the smoking ban issue, was that a bit risky. Didn't you say those who wouldn't physically enforce it were bad licensees Jon what does that make you over a class A drug.

Congratulations Jon, you have won the Industry's award for the most caring licensee in the country. Despite tens of thousands of your colleagues about to hit skid row, all you do is dismiss out of hand the findings of two of the biggest membership (trade) organisations in the country. Just one question. Why should a smoking ban rid your local of cocaine users. It is my experience that cocaine users tend to be the very 'customers' that posh places attract. Or is 'coke' usage a working class thing. Perhaps your local licensee needs re-educating Jon. I'm sure the man to do it.

Not heard that one dave but anything's possible in the minds of marketing people.

This whole issue is riddled with contradictions and until the ECJ become involved there will continue to be these incidents. The fact remains that the Open Frontiers Directive becomes fully operational in 2008 and Sky will no longer have the dominance they currently do. Now that The Disney Channel are interested in the PL who knows what will happen.