Jump to full article: The Publican, 2008-08-04
Author: Hamish Champ
Intro: I had an interesting chat with the boss of a smallish pubco last week. Sitting in his office based deep in the North of England we discussed the problems currently besetting the trade and inevitably got around to the subject of the smoking ban.
"The ban is without question the major reason why so many pubs in rural and community locations are suffering," the executive told me. . . .
Meanwhile, the pro-smoking lobby has been heartened by a German legal argument that has ruled that the banning smoking in bars of a certain size - eg, the pokey little ones - in that country was unconstitutional. Such establishments can now welcome back smokers with open arms. "Wunderbar!" you might say.
Yet I reckon the part-repeal will, if anything, simply confirm that an outright and comprehensive ban is the only practical route forward.
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