Smoking in Pubs

[brionon]

I've asked this before,I think, but now that some time has passed -what are your experiences of the Smoking ban,please. I no longer live in blighty so I need to ask you lot. Thanx.

[bigfatcheat]

I love it! (A non-smoker of course). I play in a pub band & it's such a pleasure to breathe fresh air. Whenever I finished playing, I always had to chuck my clothes in the laundry, but now I can wear them for at least 2 months!! X

[jake-the-peg]

One large chain of pubs just reported a slightly better set of earnings for the last quarter compared to a year ago - they made up for the difference in smokers drinking from increased food sales. Whether or not that continues in the winter remains to be seen.

There's certainly been a lot of people who've used it as an impetus to give up and with nobody in pubs smoking under their noses it's probably easier to resist.

Smoking suddenly seems less cool with huddles of people outside in the rain so I dare say we'll look back in a few years and see a big drop in smoking in the country.

And people say the EU never do anything good!

[theonlyone]

I think the government did it the right way when it was banned on 1July as the weather was warm ,think a lot of people will quit as I wouldn't stand in the cold and rain for a smoke . And so nice not to smell like an ashtray after going for a drink .

[andrea81]

It's obviously going to be a bit harsh for smokers at the moment, but I hanestly think it's one of the most positive things this Gov has done for our health in years!

Being from Wales, the ban hit us months before England and people seem fine with it. Most pubs have provided canopees to stand under and havn't suffered loss of earnings! I do feel a bit for the old men who have their own little corner in pubs who struggle to stand up, but it's all good!

(Saying that, I never have smoked so I'm biast)

[Louisa 69]

Well i'm a smoker and i agree 100% with the ban. Passive smoking is just as dangerous , it's my choice to smoke but it's not fair to a non smoker having to breathe in all that muck.

[natalie_1982]

I was a smoker brionon but mid July found out I was pregnant and so quit so I can see it from both sides :-)

My hubby still smokes and was totally anti-ban, he's a die-hard (literally, haha) smoker and feels the govt were taking away his right to smoke, yadda yadda. I, however, was looking forward to it, even as a smoker as I didn't enjoy getting in and smelling like an ashtray, and after a short stay in Cork last year I really enjoyed the social aspect of going outside and mixing with people whom I wouldn't normally speak to inside a pub.

Surprisingly though, my hubby has gone the other direction (although this might change when winter really hits us) and he doesn't mind going out for a cigarette; he doesn't smell so bad and he doesn't smoke so much so it's win-win as far as he (and I) is concerned.

I have heard a lot about the smells in pubs now (BO, etc) but I haven't noticed this myself, but then I don't go out that often, and I would imagine that night clubs probably honk but,again, I haven't been in one since the ban.

[westonboy]

Each pub should have been given a choice, smoking or non-smoking, thus giving the customer a choice.Another example of the British way of life disappearing, & further enhancing the nanny state we are now creating. P.S. I am a non-smoker.

[Beads]

One pub I went into (which I used regularly) reeked of sweat without the smokey smell so I've not gone near it since.

Another has had new seats and carpets and the smokers pop outside.

Overall - good for me (non smoker) as I don't smell smokey the next day.

[donegal]

i live in ireland , where it has being in for over 3 years now so it is good

[China Doll]

I smoke and have no problem going outside whatsoever.

In fact I've pretty much always smoked outside anyway (painfully aware it's a filthy habit) so actually smoking inside has always made me feel a bit ill and slightly naughty anyway.