Just as I was writing the last post I got a link through to a facebook group asking me to join. It's an anti smoking ban group.
I do not think the smoking ban has harmed my pub and I'm not convinced the downturn in the pub trade would not have happened anyway. I could not have stopped smoking without it. But equally I'm not happy with the fact it has taken away our liberty to make our own choices.
Here's the group link - the reader can make up their own mind.
Update:
I've just checked the groups. There is a non-smoking group in support of the ban as well.
Doesn't look good for the smokers...
Non-smoking 557,970
Smoking 384,054
For the record I'm abstaining on this one - I can most certainly see both sides!!
When I went to Oxford recently I had completely forgotten that there was a smoking ban in place, until as I was looking around I noticed the lack of ashtrays. Every pub I went to seemed to be doing a brisk trade, so I would say that using the smoking ban as an excuse for the failing pubs is a fig leaf at best and a downright lie at worst.
ReplyDeleteI do however have an issue with the smoking ban, in that it does invade on a person's right to enjoy a perfectly legal substance, and I think it would be better to have found a different solution to an outright ban, although I have to admit that I am not sure what would work.