Consumers 'ignorant' over smoking ban

The size of the task facing pubs, barstaff - and the government - ahead of the smoking ban has been laid bare by exclusive Publican research.

But so too has the size of the opportunity, as customers reveal they would like to spend more time and money in pubs when the ban comes in.

Health minister Caroline Flint told The Publican this week a publicity campaign is on the way (see news story, page five) - but it cannot come too soon for customers in England confused about the ban.

With little more than four months to go until the July 1 start-date - and just six weeks until the ban in Wales - six out of 10 consumers do not know when the ban will start.

Although only three per cent of respondents were not aware that some form of smoking ban was on its way, the damage done by the government's wavering over the form of the ban last year is clear.

According to the research, carried out among almost 1,000 consumers in England and Wales by ICM Research on behalf of The Publican and Britvic:

* four out of 10 (41 per cent) think smoking will still be allowed in private members' clubs

* one in five (19 per cent) believe it will still be allowed in pubs which don't serve food

* four out of 10 (38 per cent) believe there will be designated smoking rooms set aside in pubs.

Nick Bish, chief executive of the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers, said: "You've highlighted the fact that pubs should prepare not only by doing things to their pubs, but by talking to and preparing their customers too.

"They should be developing their own countdown clocks in the pubs and talking about the ban as much as they can."

When the ban does come in, there are firm indications that more non-smokers will look to come to pubs, if the offer is right.

A third of non-smokers (33 per cent) say they expect to visit pubs more often after the ban, with 37 per cent of all respondents - and 51 per cent of non-smokers - saying they will be more likely to eat in a pub.

Twenty nine per cent of those who currently visit pubs only once a month or less say they don't visit more often because they find the atmosphere too smoky.

Andy Brooks, licensee of the Laughing Fish in Isfield in East Sussex, commented: "A third of smokers we have asked in the pub say they are going to stop coming when the ban comes in. But I doubt if they will really stop coming in the longer term

"The smoking ban is a great opportunity for us to build more trade. I'm convinced that in the long term the number of customers we gain will far outweigh the number we will lose."

Britvic sales director Andrew Richards added: "While there is still a big job ahead for the industry in preparing for the ban, the opportunities this will create once in place are clearly evident.

"With one in three claiming they don't visit pubs regularly due to the smoky atmosphere, a clean and smoke-free environment will bring many new and lapsed customers through the door."