Local publicans to visit Cork

January 24, 2006

Publicans from Liverpool are going to get a taste of the 'Irish smokefree experience'.

With the Government now promising MP's a free vote on smokefree legislation for England, a delegation of smokefree workplace campaigners and publicans from Liverpool is to travel to Cork for a two day fact-finding visit.

Eleven publicans will visit the Irish city on Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th January, to judge for themselves how smokefree legislation has worked since it was introduced in 2004 - and how it could work in Liverpool.

The delegates are scheduled to meet local licensees, as well as Declan Hamilton and Tony Christie, Principal Environmental Health Officers with the Southern Health Board.

The group also plan to meet Gareth Kendellen, proprietor Paddy the Farmers Pub who had serious concerns about the smokefree legislation prior to the Irish smoking restrictions.

Deputy Chair of SmokeFree Liverpool, Sandra Davies, said: "SmokeFree Liverpool is 100% supportive of comprehensive smokefree legislation for the city of Liverpool and this visit represents a fantastic learning opportunity for everyone involved.

"We are extremely pleased to be able to share this experience with publicans from across Liverpool who can see for themselves how this type of legislation can be implemented successfully."

Colin Donnelly, manager of the Blind Tiger bar on London Road, said: "A number of business people across Liverpool are understandably anxious about the possible effects smokefree legislation may have on trade. However this visit will allow the delegates to speak with key figures from the Irish hospitality sector to discuss how businesses there not only dealt with the issue so successfully, but have actually prospered as a result."

Keith Gorman, from Liverpool-based Health@Work, who was the key organiser of the visit, said: "I have been overwhelmed by the interest shown by Liverpool publicans in seeing for themselves how a smokefree culture has been established in Ireland. This will be a great opportunity for them to plan ahead for the oncoming legislation in England.

"I have also been overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of our contacts in Cork to make the visit happen."

The visit comes as the Government's current proposals for a partial ban in England, which will allow smoking in private members' clubs and those pubs which do not serve food, come under increased attack.
Smokefree workplace campaigners argue that a partial ban would still jeopardise the lives of workers across the country, widening health inequalities across some of the most economically and socially deprived areas of the country, whilst presenting significant enforcement difficulties.