Year anniversary of the smoking ban reveals a seven per cent drop in sales
Jump to full article: The Publican, 2008-04-30
Author: James Wilmore
Intro: Northern Ireland's pubs and bars are facing a "bleak outlook" a year on from the smoking ban, a trade chief has warned.
Stephen Kelly, chief executive of the Federation of the Retail Licensed Trade Northern Ireland, said he expects the country to lose seven per cent of its pubs over the next two years.
Figures released earlier this year revealed that like-for-like sales in the on-trade have dropped seven per cent since the ban a year ago today. Ninety-three pubs and bars closed between 2005 and last December, the Mintel figures also showed.
Kelly said: "As a piece of health public policy the ban has been a success. But the much promised march of non-smokers has not materialised."
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