It was reported at the end of August that the Government are reviving their predecessor’s Tobacco and Vapes Bill, which aims to eventually eliminate the smoking of tobacco. This story was originally based on documents that were leaked to a national newspaper but the Prime Minister subsequently confirmed that it is planned to extend the original bill to include the banning of smoking in pub gardens and outdoor areas. This magazine is not the place to debate the wider aspects of this policy but I’m sure that readers will be concerned with the potential practical considerations involved. When the indoor smoking ban was introduced in 2007, pub closures increased by 6.7% and most pubs saw their income fall. The banning of smoking indoors was intended to protect staff and other customers but this has only a marginal effect outside and so, presumably, this measure is intended mainly to protect the smokers from themselves. Irrespective of its merits, the measure will be very difficult to enforce. Will pubs be expected to engage staff specifically to do so, thus further increasing running costs? If they do, is it fair to put pub staff in that position anyway? What happens if customers just move down the road to smoke? How far would they need to go before the pub could no longer still be held responsible for residents’ complaints? There will, of course, be consultations and these may well give us a wider indication of the value that the Government puts on the hospitality trade. If extra costs are incurred, hopefully some sort of reparation could be arranged, perhaps as part of the new business rates arrangements that we are expecting.
SAD NEWS
On 27 August it was announced that CAMRA’s National Chairman, Nik Antona, was standing down from the National Executive, and consequently as chairman of the Campaign, following his being diagnosed with a serious medical condition. Nik has made a significant contribution to the Campaign at both national and local level over many years and led us through some very difficult times. The London Drinker team send him their best wishes and we hope that he makes a full recovery.
Tony Hedger