Smoking ban is hot topic at Catering Forum

The controversy triggered by government proposals for a limited smoking ban in public places was at the heart of the 10th annual Catering Forum last week.

While certain bar operators declared they were in favour of an all-out ban, others felt there was still scope for the industry to have an influence over future regulations.

There was a general rejection of the government's plan to restrict smoking to sites where no food is prepared, however.

The Publican's editor-in-chief Lorna Harrison, speaking at a session titled Profit from No-Smoking?, described it as a "strange exception".

"The industry is against this half-way house and it seems socially irresponsible at a time when binge-drinking is high on the agenda," she said.

"It will create a two-tier system and it will see the return of the back-street boozer."

Yet in the government's reluctance to go for a full ban, she saw some hope that there was scope for negotiation.

"A ban is inevitable at some stage, but we have to try to make it as painless as possible. We have proved the trade can adapt and there are so many options we can look at.

"We must continue to lobby government and make sure its proposals are fair."

Tim Bacon, managing director of Living Ventures - which runs the Living Room bar brand - has already introduced a smoking ban before 10.30pm in his restaurant areas and is expecting the government to go for an outright ban.

"I would support that," he told delegates. "A two-tier system would be unfair."

Bar and club owner Jonathan Downey of Match and Milk & Honey bars pointed to operators who had already made a success of no-smoking restaurants.

"We consulted our club members and it was the non-smokers who were against a ban. The smokers were in favour because they wanted to give up!"

Michelle Baker of the Atmosphere Improves Results initiative said that looking at smoking regulations around the world, "bans are not the norm - it is about managing the smoker and the smoke".

The alternative, she said, was managing without smoke and she predicted many small pubs would close as a result.

Looking for positives, she said that if the government's proposals go through as they stand, "smoking permitted pubs do not have to be small and smoky".

They could offer no-smoking areas or rooms, better lighting, bright interiors, "and a great range of permitted snacks".