Licensees united on smokefree law

July 13, 2005 - PRESS RELEASE FROM SMOKEFREE LIVERPOOL

Pub and restaurant owners in Liverpool are calling for a 'level playing field' when smokefree legislation is introduced.

At the moment, the Government's proposed legislation on smoking in workplaces will mean that customers in 'wet' pubs - which don't serve food - will be able to carry on smoking.

But local charity Health@Work, which is sending teams out across Liverpool to talk to pub and restaurant managers and owners about the proposals, has found strong opposition to the plans.

"We are getting the clear message that licensees don't think the Government's plans can work," said Frances Molloy, Director of Health@Work.

The charity will now be communicating local licensees' views to Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt, as the Government carries out a consultation process around the proposals.

"To us, and to most of the people in the licensed trade who we have been talking to, the proposals don't make sense and would be unworkable. We will be getting this message over quite strongly to the Government," added Frances.

"The proposals will force some pubs which currently sell food, to make the choice between stopping food sales or losing their customers who smoke, some of whom have been regulars for years."

Fiona Hornsby, the licensee of Thomas Rigby's in Dale Street, said: "I sell a lot of food in my pub but I also have regulars who are smokers.

"I would like to accommodate everyone, unfortunately under this proposed legislation I am forced to make a choice between selling food or alienating my regulars who smoke. My fear is that if I stop food sales I will lose custom and money: if I sell food I will lose my smokers to another pub where smoking is still allowed. I am also concerned to protect the health and safety of my staff, but need legislation and a level playing field to do this."

And Paddy Byrne, a Partner in the Everyman Bistro and Chair of the Liverpool Restaurant Group, said: "We fear that smokers will spend less time in restaurants and move on with their friends to a place where they can smoke, reducing the amount of time and money they spend in local restaurants."

Michaela Bauress, the manager of the Welkin pub in the city centre, which went smokefree earlier this year, said: "It was inevitable when our pub went no smoking that a period of adjustment would be required for both staff and customers. Since this adjustment period our profits have increased and we are now receiving a lot of positive feedback from our old customers and new."

Glen Dumbell, one of the owners of Puschka, which went smokefree just over a year ago, said: "We really believe that the fact we are a smokefree restaurant is a major selling point for us.

"We would encourage anybody who is thinking about going smokefree to stop hesitating and take action. We did and have no regrets."

Councillor Gideon Ben-Tovim, Joint Chair of the SmokeFree Liverpool Stakeholder Group, and Chair of Central Liverpool PCT, said: "We know that people in the licensed trade are unhappy about the proposed legislation.

"We are sure that our proposals - in the 'Liverpool Bill' which is going for a Second Reading in the House of Lords on July 20 - make more sense. Instead of creating inequalities and uncertainties, our proposals give a level playing field, with ALL workplaces going 100% smokefree, and ALL workers being protected from the effects of second-hand tobacco smoke."

Andy Hull, Head of Environmental Health and Trading Standards, said: "I believe that the government's proposals will be unenforceable by Environmental Health Officers in Liverpool or elsewhere in the country. A healthy workplace is a basic right for all workers. Some medical authorities have compared the effects of second hand tobacco smoke to that of air borne asbestos.
"How can it be right to allow employers or workers to "choose" to be exposed to such a harmful cocktail of deadly chemicals as are present in tobacco smoke?"