BII tells pubs to prepare for smoke ban not fight it

The British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) is calling on its members to prepare for the smoke ban rather than fight it.

Richard Pearson, BII Chairman; Steve Howe, Director of Membership, and Cathie Smith, Director of BIIAB addressed an audience of over a thousand key members of the industry at the BII 25th Anniversary Annual Luncheon held today in London.

Richard Pearson, BII Chairman, said: "We need to start positively preparing for the smoking ban. We need to concentrate on building businesses not talking about doom and gloom. We need to remind the public about what our members' establishments have to offer. Pubs are the centre of many communities, offering food, accommodation, entertainment, and a place to meet and celebrate.​

He added: "We will be preparing advisory helplines and, as with licensing reform, we will be taking BII across the country advising members. We will seek to ensure that all Bll members prepare for the smoking legislation professionally and positively."​

To comment on this or any other story email us by clicking this link​

Your Comments​Robert Feal-Martinez​ via email 09/05/2006"I am a proud Fellow of The BII but I dispair at their inability to even understand the views of it's membership some times. It is because of this acquiescent attitude that things like Licensing went horribly wrong for so many Licensees. The Institute spent vast sums of money holding seminars into Licensing and what was the net result, complete and utter chaos. The Institute to my knowledge has never even asked it's members what stance they should take. Surely it is up to The Institute to reflect the view of it's members and act in their best interest. Readers may well be interested to know that the audience refered to will probably have contained a few hundred licensees and hundreds more Pubco people and corporate sponsors. If the BII at a National Executive Level really believe they are reflecting the views of the membership why have they not asked us. The Institute has a website, a business magazine and Regional Councils, but they have refused even to tell members that Freedom to Choose are gaining support for choice. Why not."

David​ via email 09/05/2006"Richard Pearson, BII Chairman, said: "We need to start positively preparing for the smoking ban. We need to concentrate on building businesses not talking about doom and gloom. We need to remind the public about what our members' establishments have to offer. Pubs are the centre of many communities, offering food, accommodation, entertainment, and a place to meet and celebrate."

Hurrah - common sense. Time for professional and quality landlords and licensee's to grow and evolve with the changing landscape not sit about moaning. The good landlords will survive the ones who seem to be scared of change/ challenge will fall by the way side. The Pub industry will grow stronger from this process."

Meredith Davenport​, 09/05/2006Someone should tell Robert Feal-Martinez that just because he wants smoking to remain in pubs, doesn't mean that every publican in the country does. In fact most publicans seem to be delighted by the legislation.

Pubs in Scotland are coping very well and bar staff can breathe during their shift. Well done to the BII for standing up for it's members.

Colin Grainger​, 09/05/2006David, are you wearing blinkers, or did you just go straight for the full blindfold?

According to you its...

"Time for professional and quality landlords and licensee's to grow and evolve with the changing landscape not sit about moaning".

By implication that means that any landlord or licensee who wants to retain between 40-70% of his present customers by offering them a choice is either unprofessional or of poor quality!

"Growing and evolving"? Did you go to bed one night 3' 6" and wake up 5' 8"? Or did it take you time to grow? Did we evolve directly from knuckle-dragging ground-dwellers into pilots, doctors and architects or did we just leap-frog a couple of stages?

With this nonsensical ban we went from smoking in all pubs to smoking in none of them. Where's the evolution David?

I think you, and Richard at BII are mistaking "doom and gloom" for facts and reality.

Take a look at New York, take a look at Ireland, even closer to home, take a look up here in Scotland. People have died, pubs have closed, and money is being lost. For nothing.

If you are only looking for the good news in the press, thats all you are going to find.

That blindfold simply has to go.

Patrick Farmar​, 09/05/2006I completely agree with David.

Additionally, it seems to me that there are an aweful lot of selfish smokers out there - aka the ones that are upset about the ban. I am perfectly happy for someone to smoke, I just don't want their disgusting habit imposed on me, which is what currently happens in pubs/bars/restaurants. Having been to various international destinations where they already have bans in place, what a refreshing change to not leave them stinking of smoke.

This ban is WELL OVERDUE.

Colin Grainger​, 09/05/2006Someone should tell Meredith, David and Patrick that they had the right to go smoke free from the very instant they took on their venue.

If you think that smoke-free pubs are so popular, I have to ask why you didnt grow, evolve, shout Hurrah!, and dump your filthy, stinking, selfish smokers years ago?

Is it perhaps because the same filthy stinking selfish smokers paid you handsomely for the priveledge of you allowing them on your premises?

Is it perhaps because you will actually miss the filthy stinking selfish smokers when you are left with 6 customers-smelling nice and fresh-on your busiest nights?

Heres a wake up call. Thats your future. I see it every night here in happy smoke free Scotland.

Wave bye bye to your filthy stinking selfish smokers. Just after they leave, wave bye bye to your business.

Donal McCarthy​, 09/05/2006It is OUTRAGEOUS that the BII has decided to turn its back on its smoking customers, many of whom have spent a lifetime putting good money across the counters of its members' hostelries.

"Richard Pearson, BII Chairman, said: "We need to concentrate on building businesses.....We need to remind the public about what our members' establishments have to offer........"

Richard Pearson is really saying........ we'll follow the money here, and hope no one realises we're preparing to dump smokers..........

Here is what your members' establishments will have to offer people who smoke, Mr Pearson: Sweet FA, with the added kick in the guts - which will never be forgotten - that your association could have, but chose not to, stand up for a good 50% or more of its REGULAR bread & butter customers, against a blatant abuse of political power.

Francis Winner​, 09/05/2006, Well... if the publicans pay attention to the BII and 'buckle under' rather than fight for the rights of their patrons, I predict a return to the 1970's scenes, where anyone who has a bit of extra space turns it into a 'bar-room' and invites all their friends over.

I've already heard of three people doing just that so that they continue to meet as a mixed group of smokers and non-smokers in comfort. Whoever has the biggest available space creates the bar, and the others chip in to help build it. After that, it's a case of bringing your own booz