Now the smoke has cleared

The smoking ban forced many licensees to think seriously about the facilities their pub provides. Kelly Smith finds out which solutions have worked the best

Joxer Brady's, Stafford

With no beer garden, Marston's tenants Sam Swift and Chyrell Standish decided to look at alternative solutions.

One course of action was hosting free stop-smoking clinics on a weeknight, in partnership with Staffordshire Primary Care Trust. The clinics were successful in boosting trade, while helping eight regulars kick the habit.

A pavement licence was refused on grounds of space restriction so they focused on building their entertainment and overall food and drink offer. With help from Marston's they came up with a made-to-order pies, puddings and tarts concept, which cost £6,500 in kitchen equipment, and introduced a top-end whisky list.

Top tip for beating the ban: "Be positive. Telling people your pub isn't doing very well is bad for business. And make sure you have stuff on, even if it's just cards for 10 people on a Tuesday, or darts ."

The Fleece, Witney, Oxfordshire

Smoking inside the Fleece was stubbed out in January 2007. It was a brave move for owner Peach Pub Company, as the pub is one of the operator's most wet-focused businesses.

Peach, which runs the venue on a Greene King lease, spent £25,000 on revamping the interiors, while an awning and timed electric heaters were fitted to the back entrance, costing about £1,500.

With trade split 50:50, it was imperative that the Fleece provided an area for smokers, says general manager Aimee Moore. "If there wasn't an area for them, we would have lost a lot of our trade. Smoking and drinking was part and parcel, so as soon as the ban came in you had to make compensations, even if it was just a little smoking area with a heater.

Top tip: "Make sure you've

got a decent smoking area — a good size and with heating — and that staff are sympathetic to smokers' complaints."

Rose & Crown, Sutton-on-the-Forest, York

Brother-and-sister team Ben and Lucy Williams bought the freehold of the Rose & Crown two months after the smoking ban came into action. The pair, who are in their early 20s, had been managing the food-led pub for previous owners Andy and Caroline Middleton and had worked with them on developing a tropical-themed outdoor area to seat 45 people.

A thatched, upholstered gazebo with heating and lighting, built by Staffordshire-based firm Breezehouse, provides a dedicated smoking shelter that can also be used for alfresco dining. And on the decked terrace there are several tables with thatched beach-style parasols. The solution, including plants, water features, chairs and other materials, cost £18,000.

Ben says: "It's been ideal for us as a dining pub. People tend to go out with their coffees and desserts to smoke.

"If anything, our trade has probably increased because people are more aware of our outdoor area. Also, a lot of customers are encouraged to come into the bar now because it isn't smelly and nicotine-stained."

There are plans to improve the garden further by building a barbecue and upgrading all heating units to infrared models, which Ben says are cheaper to run and will provide more warmth during the winter. Outdoor table service is offered to all customers, diners and drinkers.

Top tip: "You have to offer a viable alternative. You make a choice in terms of moving in a different direction, but you have to provide the same quality of service. So if you've got a high-quality interior you've got to offer your smokers the same quality in the smoking area."

Manor House, Quorn, Leicestershire

Multiple operators Phil Triggs and Ian Banks declared the Manor House smoke-free in 2005, giving it a clear point of difference in the marketplace.

The change in policy, driven by customers, coincided with a £650,000 internal and external upgrade of the food-led pub.

A 100-cover decked area was built for diners while smokers are catered for on the patio, which provides cover, warmth and light.

"We spent the money early on to get it ready. A third of our business has always been drinking, the other two thirds food. Food has gone from strength to strength. We have to work a lot harder for our drinks trade. We hold charity events and we've changed and expanded our drinks range, increasing our real ales and lagers. " says Triggs.

A similar approach has been deployed at Memorable's other two pubs, in Nottinghamshire, the Chesterfield in Bingham and the Griffins Head in Papplewick.

Top tip: "My advice is to get on with it. There's more to be said about the economy and giving people value for money and high standards. There are businesses that will suffer from having no smoking areas and no options. But for those who have different options they need to work at it."

Patriots Arms, Chiseldon, Wiltshire

Enterprise lessees Cyril and Jan York reopened the Patriots Arms in autumn last year, after completing a £250,000 refurbishment of the village pub.

A hexagonal smoking hut had been put into place by the previous licensee, but needed freshening up, together with the rest of the venue.

Cyril says: "The dingy colours, all the brass, and the carpets that give you a headache — that's all 30 years out of date. It's now a lot lighter and airier. It's a little more upmarket. We're catering for people who can afford to go out.

"I think pubcos get a lot of bad press, but Enterprise has been most supportive in helping us to improve the pub."

An additional heated area with parasols has been created at the front of the pub. The Yorks have also introduced food, which, together with the smoking facilities and work on the pub, has buffered any negative effect the ban may have had on business.

Top tip for beating the ban: "Cater for a wide cross-section of the community, which may include going down the food avenue. No village pub can survive on beer sales alone."

Devonshire Arms, Bedford

As a wet-only pub catering for a high volume of smokers, the Devonshire was vulnerable to the ban. But host Valerie Walter has countered a potential downturn in regular trade.

Last spring Walter furnished her beer garden with a "puff pagoda", a wooden shelter with seating, electric heating and lighting. The structure, which cost £6,000, has been crucial.

"The pagoda has definitely helped retain the smokers," says the Charles Wells tenant. " I've got the garden in use all-year round ."

She also offered drinkers free samples of snuff as part of a "pinch 'n' pint" promotion .

Activity includes pool contests, poker nights and a pigeon-racing syndicate. The host has even arranged to take some of her cask-ale customers to the Great British Beer Festival in a Hummer limousine.

Top tip: "Do something different to the pubs around you."

Walnut Tree Inn, Mere, Wiltshire

A freehold pub in a picturesque village, the Walnut Tree has long capitalised on its attractive surroundings.

Licensee Mark Cassidy created a covered and heated smoking area several months before the ban. He installed two parasols with detachable weatherproof sides and integral lighting, supplied by specialist Broadview, as well as patio heaters. More patio heaters have since been added to provide warmth for diners as well as smokers.

Cassidy has also upgraded the furniture with bistro-style tables, which can cater for 60 people, while retaining the traditional benches, which can seat 50.

Overall, he's invested £15,000 in developing the exterior, increasing his trading area by 65%.

"It works just as effectively for creating another trading area as it does for taking care of smokers. You'd be surprised how late into the year people eat outside. Giving them the extra heating seems to do the job. If we have a function, we make the back no-smoking and put the sides up on the parasols, which gives us an extra room," says Cassi