Chris Maclean: two thorny issues at the LVA meeting

Yesterday's LVA meeting was dogged by two issues.

The first was the smoking ban. We'd sent delegates to a regional seminar on the subject. The consensus was that people had learnt more from the PublicanLive trade show stands than the seminar. There was some good information shared and I felt heartened that, although I have done nothing to prepare for the ban, in the warmer months following the ban we should be able to respond to the changes and be better placed to make decisions.

The second issue was more thorny. One of our licensees was assaulted by a customer last year. Eventually, it came to trial and the assailant was convicted. The licensee was asking that, if someone assaulted a licensee and was convicted of that, then perhaps they should be banned from all LVA members pubs henceforth. Frankly I sided with him. I would be uncomfortable if someone had done that and felt able to use another pub without censure. But other licensees were unsure. What if that customer had behaved well in their pub before? What if they didn't recognise the offender? What if they run a pub away from the town centre? It was a good debate.

We drafted a motion supporting the principle that a ban from one pub, because of a conviction for assault, will result in a ban from all member's pubs. I am not sure this will realistically be applied but I believe it is right to send out that message. If people assault licensees or their staff or customers then they should not be tolerated anywhere else. It will be brave licensees that follow that but it must happen. The alternative is too horrible to contemplate.