A breath of fresh air

Damning reports that pubs are losing out on up to two-thirds of the nation's custom have caused the issue of smoking in pubs to rear its ugly head once again.

Anti-smoking campaigners believe that there are between 14 and 15 million people who will not go out for a drink because pubs and bars are too smoky and because many still do not have a no-smoking area.

Ironically, the trade is defiant that it could lose up to 41 per cent of its custom if the Government enforced a blanket ban on smoking in all pubs. (The Publican's Market Report 2001).

But if the views of campaigners are to be listened to, they are already losing out on much more.

Yorkshire Action on Smoking and Health (ASH) is one organisation that is campaigning for the trade to take a more responsible approach. Campaigns director David Reed told thePublican.com that the charity was in the process of collecting results from a survey, which indicated that rather than risk losing customers, pubs with no smoking areas have increased profits and that licensees were directing their business at a mere 15 per cent of the population.

"Surely no-one in their right mind in business would try to cater for 15 per cent of the population and ignore the needs of 85 per cent," Mr Reed said.

Another anti-smoking activist, Robert Cole, added: "There are 3.4 million asthma sufferers in Britain who don't want to go to the pub because of the smoke. If you take into account these people's families and friends who would go to the pub with them then the trade is losing out on about 15 million customers a year."

ASH is carrying out its research in the pubs, restaurants and cafés that already hold a Roy Castle Good Air Award, which is awarded to licensees who have a no-smoking section or enforce a blanket ban. A preliminary look at the results shows that not one pub that has introduced a no-smoking area has lost business.

"Half of the pubs said profits had stayed the same, the other half said profits had increased, but significantly not one licensee said that it had caused profits to decrease," Mr Reed said.

And if further evidence were needed to prove to the industry that it has to change its tactics, it comes in the form of a recent survey conducted by electricity and gas provider Npower.

The company found that out of 1,200 people across the country, 57 per cent were put off by pubs and bars because they were too smoky.

A third of 16 to 34-year-olds said they had walked out of a pub, bar or café purely because of the smoke, while 43 per cent of 35 to 44-year-olds had also walked out. David Titterton, director of Npower business services, said: "The survey showed British people hold the right atmosphere very dear, whether it's where they work, or where they play.

"They're not likely to voice their complaints though. When it comes to pubs and restaurants people tend to vote with their feet."

While the trade has nothing to celebrate, things are getting slightly better. According to (The Publican's Market Report 2001), a survey of more than 1,000 licensees, 39 per cent now have a no-smoking policy, an increase of 16 per cent in the last four years.

But few employ a no-smoking policy at the bar - another issue that campaigners are desperately trying to tackle.

And it doesn't help the trade that health experts have provided further disturbing evidence in recent weeks that passive smokers' lungs suffer significantly from smoke.

According to an Occupational and Environmental Medicine report, workers who were exposed to the highest levels of environmental smoke were up to three times as likely to have decreased lung function.

Yorkshire ASH has been campaigning on the matter for some time, warning licensees that "every employer, including those in the hospitality industry, is effectively now legally obliged to provide employees with a smoke-free workplace".

The reality set in for a licensee in Australia, when Marlene Sharp was awarded £170,000 damages for the effects of passive smoking in May.

Ms Sharp gave up her 11-year job as a barmaid after she developed cancer of the larynx and was no longer able to work.

Trade leaders agree that this has wide-reaching implications for the UK.

And on the back of this, there have been renewed calls for pubs to implement the Public Places Charter on smoking.

The charter recommends that publicans firstly put up signage so that customers are aware of the smoking policy in the outlet, whether it is smoking throughout or completely non-smoking. It also advises the use of ventilation and no-smoking areas where possible to help remove smoke.

Results from the Charter Group's national survey on how many publicans are enforcing the Public Places Charter will be available in October.

What publicans need to realise is that failure to reach the target of 50 per cent could well mean a situation mirroring that in California - a complete ban on smoking in public places including bars, cafés and restaurants.

Your comments.​

The issue of smoking has led to many comments on thePublican.com.

The below comments have been taken from Smoky atmosphere number one turn-off for pub-goers. (22 August 2001)

Kate​: "Non-smokers make up 70 per cent of the population and I don't understand why the pub industry is not interested in our business."

Richard Dobson​: " The problem is that separate areas have been set aside for non-smokers - not the other way round."

Jim Jones​: "As more areas of our lives become smoke-free, it seems inevitable that people will want pubs and bars to be smoke-free."

Sarah Wilson​: "Of course there should be smoking and non-smoking sections to keep everyone happy but remove the smoke with proper air cleaning and ventilation, not the smoker."

Facts and figures​

• 34 per cent of pubs comply with the Public Places Charter
• according to The Publican's Market Report 2001 licensees believe they would lose an average of 41 per cent of their business if a complete ban on smoking was introduced
• one in four publicans were very worried by the possibility of employees taking legal action because of the effects of passive smoking
• 35 per cent were slightly worried by the possibility of legal action
• 39 per cent of pubs now have a no-smoking area.