07 Sep 2024
The hospitality industry is reeling from the news that smoking may be banned from pub gardens and outdoor restaurants.
With the impact of the pandemic still being felt by many businesses, the news that the Government is looking at tougher restrictions on outdoor smoking has been seen as another blow to their long-term recovery.
The ban, which is aimed at tackling the pressure on the NHS caused by smoking, could also affect small parks and spaces outside hospitals, nightclubs and sports venues.
Publicans fear it will result in a reduction in trade from smokers unable to indulge their habits, and makes a mockery of the investment many have made in creating all-weather smoking areas outside their establishments.
Nick Farr from Farr Brewery, which owns pubs including The Elephant and Castle in Wheathampstead and The Red Cow in Harpenden, said: “I would say that it significantly endangers an industry that is still crawling out from the destruction of Covid. It’s an initiative that beggars belief to be honest. We all understand the importance of health and wellbeing and our company has always been at the forefront of such initiatives. But frankly, if someone fancies a cigarette whilst having a pint, whilst also doing no damage to others they should be allowed to do so.
“I would also suggest that it’s totally unworkable. And will simply see people smoking in streets, areas that are totally uncontrollable. More rubbish, pollution, noise and disruption.
“Any further limitations on our industry will continue to erode the wonderful pub heritage that we currently enjoy and will see yet more pubs close.”
Paul Egerton from The Jolly Sailor said: “It won’t be the death of pubs, but it will be the death of a lot of pubs. The Jolly only has a small courtyard garden which we allow people to go and smoke in late on Friday and Saturday to prevent them smoking in the street and annoying my neighbour to protect my late licence.”
Another landlord, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “I’ve got a garden and a smoking area. I’ve also got a public footpath running through my car park. Am I supposed to police the footpath as well as the garden?
“Will my customers be allowed to smoke in the car park? If so, will I be allowed to build a smoking area in the car park? It’s an ill-conceived concept and once again left up to the pubs to sort out.”
Mark Powell from The Mermaid added: “I’m a non-smoker, don’t enjoy cleaning ashtrays and get pissed off with smokers who feel it’s their god given right to stub their fags out anywhere they like. But smokers at pubs will just move to the pavements which will become strewn with butts instead of going into our ashtrays.
“Some of those really addicted may decide to stay at home instead where they can drink and smoke at the same time. Without stereotyping, big smokers tend to be bigger drinkers too so losing them would make a big impact.
“I would envisage a noticeable and significant reduction in trade, especially to begin with. I suppose if rolled out in the winter it would be less noticeable but you’d still have fag butts all over the pavements and we would have to wait until next summer to see what the hit would be.
“Another point is many pubs including ourselves spent a lot of money during Covid building covered areas for smokers so they could be accommodated during those restrictions, so once again this is a kick in the teeth to all those trying their best to run a viable business.
“All in all it will cause a raft of pub closures, it will be the final nail in the coffin for pubs and bars that are currently just scraping by.
“I assume as always they will expect pubs to police it themselves, which is going to cause a lot of stress and aggravation just like it did with Covid.
“If they want to stop people smoking, just ban smoking! But once again pubs have become the easy target and supermarkets will be the beneficiaries with more people drinking at home.
“Social interaction and community spirit will also be diminished. What about the poor old fella who lives alone and his only interaction and enjoyment is a pint, cigarette and a chat at his local! I’m sure there are many better ways to tackle the problem and to take the pressure of the NHS than this ill thought-through un-policeable, ‘let’s just make the pubs do it’ lazy legislation.”
Giles Fry, managing director of The Snug in French Row, which has a large outdoor space, said: “Whilst I admire the intentions of the new Government with this no smoking ban in public places, it feels targeted, impacts the rights of an individual and would be another cost to business.
“They did not get elected on such initiatives and perhaps issues like this grab headlines more than the serious business of getting growth back into our economy and helping people and independent businesses with the cost of living crisis.
“For hospitality, this is just another body blow to an industry that is still on its knees since Covid, with extreme costs, unfair taxes and an overly regulated sector.”
Sean Hughes, on behalf of campaign group Save St Albans Pubs, said: “Save St Albans Pubs supports a manageable period to smoke free pubs and encourages pubs to have their own policy on this as many already do.
“But what we need to say to the new Government is that Save St Albans Pubs, like most other independent pub organisations wants to be in communication with the Government on major polices like this that will affect our industry if not rolled out in an orderly time frame. It is hugely important with a new Government that wants change that the ‘change’ includes greater communication with the independent side of the industry NOT just breweries and breweries who are in fact property landlords.
“Change for the better will only come about by talking to the industry rather than throwing out huge policy changes into the press and letting us all panic and scramble for answers. We are done with that type of political interference and we also want change with how Government works with us. Change that includes business rate reform, levelling up taxes on supermarkets, lower VAT and lower beer duty on pubs and even a path to a smoke free pub that doesn’t result in hundreds of closures at the same time because it is rushed and ill-thought with no engagement form INDEPENDENT business.
“The industry is still struggling to recover from Brexit, Covid, a war, major inflation and continued to deal with energy prices either the average pub in St Albans spending £25-40K per year on their utility which is more than double bills in 2019. We need to address these problems now including the cliff edge of business rates from 2025 and this needs to happen before we have radical changes to smoking policies.”
