Trade warms to positive side

of smoking ban says Fleurets

by John Harrington

Licensees are gradually coming round to the idea that a smoking ban would not damage trade.

That is the finding of a new survey of licensees' views on smoking, conducted by property agent Fleurets.

The survey found fewer than half 48% of the 200 tenants, lessees and freehouse licensees surveyed agreed that 'a smoking ban will have a negative effect on your profits.

When the same question was asked in a survey last September, 69% of licensees thought a ban would have a negative effect.

Licensees are also less keen on leaving the trade if there is a ban than they were last autumn.

The proportion of people who answered 'yes to the question 'does the threat of a smoking ban make you want to sell up? fell from 19% in September 2004 to 17% last month.

'They are already getting used to the idea of a total ban whereas six months ago a bit more scepticism prevailed, said Fleurets director Yasser Martini.

The survey also shows that pub newcomers are less concerned about the effects of a smoking ban than established licensees.

In the current survey just 25% of people hoping to enter the trade agreed that the threat of a ban puts them off. In contrast, 61% of newcomers were put off entering the trade if there is a ban when asked in September 2004.

'There's most certainly a different approach these days, and we are seeing that with the popularity of the gastro pub, said Martini. 'The public house isn't necessarily the out-and-out boozer any more. There's still a place for the community boozer, but there's now people coming in with a different approach.