PalenQ

July 1, 2007 marked a milestone in English history as for the first time smokers are no longer allowed to poison non-smokers (or other smokers) with toxic tobacco smoke as a law banning smoking in public places, most noticeably including pubs, went into effect.

Thus England belatedly joins the other components of the British Isles, Ireland, Wales and Scotland, in instituting such as ban as well as European countries like France (though full smoking ban here takes effect next Feb 1 - a partial ban began last Feb 1) and even Italy.

Now let's see if the rumoured death of the English pub will occur as opponents' scare-mongering predicted. If Ireland is any example, no as Irish pubs are booming, attracting new patrons who want smoke-free drinking and dining and the intitution of outdoor areas that even have attracted more for the outdoor cafe type ambience.

Coronation Street's Rovers Return pub seemingly has been non-smoking for years as it seems rare that anyone in there smokes - and it's perpetually packed it seems.

The non-smoking move is spreading - even Holland, a smoking bastion, is rumoured to be joining the movement - whether or not it will extend to the country's legendary coffeeshops (cannabis shops) is the question - but cannabis smoke of course has never been proved very harmful.

Personally i welcome the no smoking ban as i enjoy going to pubs in UK but really don't like smoke or the smokey smell my clothes have for hours later.

What do you think?

MissZiegfeld

Ridiculous. But then, I'm a smoker.

Dukey

That's OK...eventually even you will stop smoking, MissZiegfeld.

endlessummer

Husband and I celebrated by having dinner in our favourite pub last night. It was busy, busy, busy, full of us non-smokers enjoying the smoke-free environment. Since I love to drink, I will be in the pub more, not less - it's just so much more pleasant now. My brother, a life-long smoker, says that his bank balance is swelling. He is simply sitting at home and smoking. Sad. I do wish he would give it up. I had to bury one brother prematurely; really don't want to go through that again.

endlessummer

I should have added that I grew up with 4 chain smokers. My mother ended up in intensive care because of advanced lung disease. I have never even tried a cigarette in my life - I never needed to, I was already smoked out. Personally, I think it is the most disgusting habit. If I was interested in a man and found out he smoked, he was instantly deleted from my brain.

PalenQ

endless summer - are there outdoor extensions of pubs like in Ireland for smokers?

Is there a gaggle of smokers going outside to smoke?

thanks. I guess we'll have to see whether pubs decline because of this, though that would be hard to certify due to smoking since pubs i understand are in decline anyway

RM67

Endlesssummer - I'm of exactly the same mind as you having watched my mother die at a very young age from lung cancer. Neither myself or my brothers have ever smoked despite having been exposed to it passively for most of our childhood. I do get very angry when people talk about their 'right' to smoke in public ie inflict lung disease/death on others! I know this will make me unpopular, but I really welcome the ban.

I don't think it'll affect pub or restaurant trade at all - smokers will still go, but either hold off for a couple of hours, or nip outside between drinks/courses. Indoors will be much healthier, but the streets will probably be full of smoke - wonder if London will be seeing pea-soupers again 8-)

endlessummer

Yes, there were people nipping outside for a fag. I honestly don't think this will have much of an effect on trade, at least not in my local which has branched out into "gastropub" food and is practically a restaurant now. Can't say about other pubs, it really depends on the area, I imagine. I can't wait to see what France is like under a full ban!

SeaUrchin

This is such good news. In Ireland years ago we couldn't stay in a pub very long due to the smoke. I wanted to hear the wonderful musicians and would have to run outdoors to breathe, then finally giving up and leaving the pub altogether Glad England is wising up, thanks for posting.

BTilke

You will notice the change much more in some pubs than in others. In the airier pubs with hardwood floors, they'll start to smell fresher almost immediately. But the pub closest to us has that godawful garish carpet (designed to hide all kinds of stains) and thick wallpaper and heavy drapes. The cigarette smell there will linger for some time even though the patrons can no longer light up. Also, if the guy sitting next to you is a diehard chain smoker (the kind who smokes until he's within a millimetre of the pub entrance) , he'll continue to reek of cigs even if he's not smoking at the time.

Dukey

Every time there is a proposed smoking ban proposed in the US we hear this same argument about how "business will suffer" and eventually we seem to hear the same information that "business has actually gotten better."

Sounds as if it is the same in Europe as it is over here.

hetismij

Yes even Holland will eventually follow the no smoking route. As it is you can't smoke in public places, including railway platforms, but can in cafes restaurants etc. The idea was that they would voluntarily go to no smoking or provide no smoking areas. But they didn't. So next year (I can't wait!) everywhere except coffeeshops will be smoke free. In coffeshops smoking will be allowed - but in a different room to where the sales take place. Cafes restaurant etc can also have a smoking room, but there will be no service allowed in that room - the aim is to protect the staff from second-hand smoke.
Downside is that everyone will gather outside to smoke - so no more breaths f fresh air, and they will all install energy guzzling heaters so the poor smokers don't get cold. I read somewhere that the heaters in the UK will take the equivalent of a few power stations in electricity.

PalenQ

<Cafes restaurant etc can also have a smoking room, but there will be no service allowed in that room - the aim is to protect the staff from second-hand smoke.>

Personally i don't object to this scheme - let the smokers have their own room, where presumably they won't even have to smoke to get their nicotine buzz as long as wair staff don't have to penetrate and the smoke can't escape into the cafe or coffeeshop.

I notice smoke in the air at Schiphol airport still so i hope enforcement is a bit better when the full law comes into being

Ahmed

Yes, this is very good news. Actually I was in London last May for one week where I have noticed one or two Pubs already non-smoker which was pleasure to enjoy a good pint. I have even stayed at the Hoxton hotel a none-smoking hotel. There were few "waterpipes" smoking coffee shops in Edgeward road will probably be closing down.
Here in Bahrain started 1st of June, nearly all shopping mall are smoke free. I would say 90% at present are following the rules. Though non of the resturants are completely smoke free. It will be very difficult to impose such law since the big ones are owned by powerfull people who think of profit first. Unless I suppose a fatwa comes into being to forbids smoking at public places!!

libuse

I don't think its going to make that much difference to British pubs; My local is a real hard-drinking proper backstreet boozer, they only do food on odd occasions when they have parties and such, the pub is all about the pool table and the big screen sports. I went yesterday and it was still as busy as ever, with the smokers running outside for a fix. Most of my smoking friends said at the end of the evening that they had accidentally smoked less than would be normal for them, and they were pleased about this. There's a little temporary gazebo thing outside for them to shelter in, pending approval of a planning application for a more permanent structure, and the landlord is trying to sell us all ashtrays as a memento and heirloom of the future...

PatrickLondon

He'd better be careful about his permanent structure: there are strict rules about when it becomes so enclosed as to be covered by the non-smoking regulations. I know someone who is most upset because the structure in the garden shared with the flat upstairs is so covered by ivy that it counts as enclosed, so he can't smoke there.

RM67

We had a smoking shelter at work - but it burned down after someone threw a still lit fag-end in the wastebin!!!

PalenQ

The Beep report i heard this on said:

25% of English smoke - down from 82% in years after WWII

the mass appeal of tobnacco using, previously reserved for the upper class cigar and snuff set, dated from when troops returned from WWI, having picked up the habit in the trenches i guess.

It also said that some Swiss Cantons had tried the ban and were met with lots of protests - ironically they said Switzerland is home to the World Health Organization.

Mucky

Well its been about 3 months or so since the ban was implemented in Wales, I would say it has been a resounding success. Pubs appear to be as busy as ever, I can wear the same clothes out for 3 weeks on the trot as they still smell sweet .

The only down side is the smell of cigarettes in the street wherever I go and the amount of litter and cig ends on the floor outside doorways.

Easy solution, totally ban it eerywhere ..lol

Well done England its about time you swallowed your pride and followed the other countries in the UK

PalenQ

curious as to how the ban was voted on - did Scottish, Welsh and North Irrish MPs vote on the ban?

Could it have been that English MPs were not in favor but with the other votes, assumedly supporting put it over the top? Probably was not an open vote and was near unanimous for Labour but this possible scenario brings to mind that England needs perhaps its own Parliament to decide strictly English issues.