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Smoking ban costing pubs dear
5:29am Wednesday 30th January 2008
Comments (28)Landlords are reporting losses of up to £1,000 a week since the smoking ban was introduced.
With the new law now six months old, others are reporting losing a third of their trade as punters shun their local in favour of a can of lager and a cigarette in the comfort of their own homes.
The ban has also created so-called "smoking widows" - people left sitting alone while partners or friends go outside to smoke.
In addition, publicans have reported a rise in complaints about other smells once masked by tobacco.
Tony Ford, manager of The Star Inn in Manchester Street, Kemp Town, Brighton, has seen his takings fall by one third since the ban, despite installing two outdoor areas for smokers.
He said: "Groups of friends get split up when some of them go outside to smoke.
It's the same with couples.
"That's when you get smoking widows, because the partner has to sit inside on their own.
"British pubs are the best pubs in the world but the new legislation is sucking the soul out of them."
Julia Millham, of The Kings Arms in George Street, Kemp Town, said regulars hated the ban and trade had dropped by £1,000 a week.
Figures released by the British Beer and Pub Association show sales of beer in British pubs fell by six per cent in the year ending November 2007.
In November alone, sales were down 9.7 per cent on the same period in 2006.
Colin Millham, who has run the Kings Arms with his wife Julie for the past 14 years, believes the ban, coupled with competition from cheap supermarket alcohol, was to blame.
He said: "There's an economic situation at play here. People are spending less and supermarkets are selling beer at prices we can't even buy it for.
"It's a difficult time for the pub trade.
Overheads have gone up but our profits haven't.
"Why is the Government forcing this upon us when they don't make tobacco itself illegal?"
But the ban has produced some positive results, with some pubs where food is served seeing a rise in customers who want to eat in a smoke-free atmosphere.
Alan Bonner, barman at the No Name bar and restaurant in Brighton's St James's Street, said it made a large proportion of its money from food.
Barry Furlong, landlord of The Ranelagh pub in nearby High Street for the past 17 years, is in favour of the ban, which has helped increase his profits.
The outdoor area he has provided for smokers has kept customers coming in and, as a smoker himself, he refuses to visit any pub which does not have an outside space.
He said: "The Ranelagh has a much nicer atmosphere since the ban came in.
"We get people in here who never used to go into pubs because of the smoke.
"We often get bands playing here and they appreciate performing in a room which isn't filled with smoke.
"Now people who want to smoke come dressed to cope with the cold weather and sit outside for hours."
What effect has the smoking ban had on you? Let us know below
Your Say YourThe Argus
Smoker, says...
10:58am Wed 30 Jan 08
Gino, Portslade says...
11:19am Wed 30 Jan 08
Mark, Haywards Heath says...
11:24am Wed 30 Jan 08
Smoker, says...
11:24am Wed 30 Jan 08
dentak3a, Brighton says...
11:27am Wed 30 Jan 08
Paul wrote:'It's great to go into a pub where you no longer have to breathe in or stink of smoke'.
Its great to go into a pub where you no longer have to breathe in or stink of smoke. The bars I got to are really busy and have smoking areas outside plus they are making more of an effort to have events to atract customers. People will bleat on about the nanny state etc but there is a majority of the public thats bored with smokers and their so called rights when in fact they have been forcing their smoke on people in public for years. Times change so get over it. Bit confused over the no name restaurant being mentioned as its not really a proper bar and is more known for food.
That's fine - but because there's no smell of smoke, you can now smell the toilets...which is much more off-putting!!!
Fab!!!
NON SMOKER, brigton says...
12:00pm Wed 30 Jan 08
dentak3a, Brighton says...
12:19pm Wed 30 Jan 08
NON SMOKER wrote:A colleague of mine who works in Cardiff told me last week that there's a pub up there that has a back garden for smokers that's covered, has carpetting, a plasma tv, and all the indoor furniture you normally get in a pb. Excellent, and fun idea. Trouble is...we've not got any pubs with big enough beer gardens down here.
I am a non smoker, but it seems to me that smokers have no rights at all. They dont even want you to smoke outside.The reason they canot have their own smokeing pubs, is because they would be the only ones to take any money.Anti smokers have a choice, but smokers do not.So somebody tell me why smokers cannot have their own pubs?After all \"you\" dont have to use them do you.Its s*d all to do with smoking, its about peoples rights. The latest green \"nut cases\" are trying to save the planet by banning patio heaters. Whens it all going to end? its about time we put this lot back where they belong.In the lunatic asylum.
Pete, Saltdean says...
12:21pm Wed 30 Jan 08
NON SMOKER, brighton says...
12:31pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Dave, Hove says...
12:34pm Wed 30 Jan 08
shrek, far,far away says...
12:37pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Kickboxer, Worthing says...
1:02pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Gino wrote:I totally agree, it's the same in Worthing town centre on the weekend, full of drunken morons that can't hold their drink, the women are just as bad.
<b> Who cares? Both alcohol and nicotine are poisons, I'd be happy to see both banned if people can't enjoy alcohol responsibly (and you only have to walk down West Street on a Saturday night to establish that they can't.)</b>
Stroller, Hove says...
1:12pm Wed 30 Jan 08
A lot of Brighton and Hove pubs will close.
Brian Lec, Brighton says...
1:14pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Walloper 1, says...
1:24pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Deano, Kempton says...
2:02pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Dave wrote:If Mr MULLET'S takings are down then I suggest he divorce Mrs MULLETT. Many's the night I've been in their pub and seen her so **** that she been holding on to the bar like an extra from the Poseidon adventure! God bless those poor dogs and the emergency bottle of brandy that they carry for her on their walks on the beach...... And also stop spending so much on the Plug In's
I am a non smoker and enjoy the ban to the max and I do not drink in oubs where the tiolest are a smell problem in the bar, if they were I would drink in another bar/pub. I this the more important issue here is the MULLETT that the landlord is sporting, its horrific and should be banned.
betty swallox, says...
2:53pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Dennis, Cambs says...
3:42pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Its great to go into a pub where you no longer have to breathe in or stink of smoke
It's not so good though when there's nobody in there.
Most pub going folk I've spoken to are fed up to the teeth with this ban & that includes non smokers.It's being reported from all over the country now about the harm it's doing, but strangely rarely in the national media.
I accept there are other factors here such as competition from the supermarkets, but the ban was the final nail, once winter arrived.
Hopefully soon the breweries & pub chains will start putting pressure on the government as profits decline.
Gino, Portslade says...
4:09pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Smoker wrote:Grow a brain? I'm not the one sucking poison into my lungs twenty times a day, mate. I made the choice not to be a smoker, and I don't appreciate you selfish gits forcing me to smoke your filthy cancer sticks along with you. That's before you even factor in the cost to the NHS that your coronary is going to cost the NHS in a few years.
Grow a brain, Gino. You may not care, but some of us do. So, everyone goes out on the pi55 down West Street do they? Bet you\'re a bundle of laughs to be around.
Brian Lec, Brighton says...
4:26pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Walloper 1 wrote:Only at chess. My taste though is wide and most beer prices I reckon went up by around 25%, 50-60p a pint last year.
Stella drinker are you Brian? Hope you don't beat the missus afterwards.
David Cooke, barnsley says...
4:32pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Wetherspoons, or the boozer on the corner.
WHY IS IT SO HARD TO SPLIT THE KIDDIE'S PLACES & THE MEN'S.
David Cooke, BARNSLEY says...
4:38pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Gino wrote:I'd like to see the numbers of councillors and MP's cut by at least one third, but what are the chances of that???
<b> Who cares? Both alcohol and nicotine are poisons, I'd be happy to see both banned if people can't enjoy alcohol responsibly (and you only have to walk down West Street on a Saturday night to establish that they can't.)</b>
David Cooke, barnsley says...
4:59pm Wed 30 Jan 08
betty swallox wrote:Hear, hear. Well said Betty, if you are ever in Barnsley, look me up; we'll go to the MP's surgery and kick his a*s*. YOU ARE RIGHT. They work for us!!!! Load of boll**ks. Did your MP. ask you, or anybody you know, or anybody at all, how you wanted him/her to vote???I'd be very surprised if you answer "yes."
<b> it boils down to another choice in life taken away by our government,i know that smoking is bad for your health,like lots of things but i pay my taxes,i conform to societies laws,but to have my choices limited by force stinks of communism,a dictatorship this country will be in years to come if people carry on conforming to the governments choices.born free my arse.i like to smoke,i like to drink,it\'s a working mans right to chose to do whatever recreational activity he/she chooses and if smoking and drinking is a choice then so be it,i pay my duty on ciggies and beer and expect to be treated with respect for that whenever i may need help,or i will emergrate like thousands of others have.</b>
WORK IT OUT, brighton says...
6:18pm Wed 30 Jan 08
Did you know, brighton. says...
6:32pm Wed 30 Jan 08
David Cooke, Barnsley says...
6:46pm Wed 30 Jan 08
BRING ON THE ELECTION.
You got it right there man, only way to sort it.
Spanish Gentleman, On The Commons Terrace Dying for a Fag says...
10:03am Thu 31 Jan 08
Did you know wrote:Do You Know Anything you should call yourself.
Just to let you know, that the M.P.s who voted to stop smoking in pubs, also voted to allow it to continue in the house of commons bar. Two faced?
Westminster was technically exempt as it is a Royal Palace, MP's voted for a self imposed ban in the commons and Westminster.
Just to let you know. Sharpen up a bit and give up the Daily Express.
Colin and Julie Millham
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Paul, Brighton says...
10:47am Wed 30 Jan 08