The Premature Death of a British Institution
Updated but previously published in part as 'The Guv'nor' article in the Morning Advertiser 25th May 2006

Public Houses have played an important role in the social life of the British people for hundreds of years. They are places to meet, talk, drink, eat, listen to music and generally relax. Although tastes in their design and décor may change, the basic role of the pub, as a gathering place for people to enjoy themselves, is set to change.

Many have adapted to become trendy bars and super pubs where young people gather with their designer drinks and binge drinking seems to be the weekend trend but there are still many traditional community public houses.

They are not accidents or architect’s dreams. They are a consequence of British culture, fulfil an essential function within society and are central to community life where locals congregate, celebrate and even mourn together. Social comfort, care and camaraderie are there. They provide company for the lonely, relaxation for the weary, focus for community energy, a haven from stress and a home from home for strangers. In a selfish way we could consider them the last bastion of privacy where adults can pursue legal but less healthy activities away from children.

But much of this is destined to change.

The health lobby claim thousands of cancer deaths emanate from the public house environment and being so obsessed by anti-smoking zeal they are blinkered to the health benefits of this exclusiveness and social contentment and to the misery of isolation that will become evident when local pubs are gone. The adult customers and staff knowingly choose the environment.

I can think of no smoker or tolerant non-smoker who would encourage young people to smoke but, instead of being behind adult walls, smoking will be brought out into the open on city pavements and beer gardens in full view of all. These groups will be an advert for smoking and, as we all appreciate, banned activities become extremely attractive to young people. Smoking could and probably should remain in an adult environment and, if current trends continue, smoking levels will reduce without heavy-handed regulation. Evolution not oppression is the British way.
(End of Published Article)

Some ‘costs’ of a Smoking Ban

--Irish smoking rates have risen during the past year reversing the previous gradual but continuous fall and two years after the ban are only 0.5% below pre-ban levels.

--Over 600 mainly local pubs have closed in Ireland since their ban began. Population statistics would suggest 12 times more might close in the England alone. Losses of recreational facilities in Scotland already disadvantage many smokers, non-smokers and communities.

-- Pub closures will lead to job losses.

-- Licensees, Breweries and Pubcos will spend many millions of pounds trying to provide outdoor areas for smokers. These costs may be passed on to the customer in the form of further price increases.

--A single heater for outdoor smoking areas will consume over 100 kilowatts each day with its associated financial and environmental costs. These extra costs alone could make businesses unviable.

--Deodorants used to cover the new aromas in public houses introduce more pollutants and irritants into the atmosphere. 

--Local pubs are renowned for a lack of trouble but Scottish and Irish streets are less safe now more people are forced onto the street to smoke.

-- Residents living close to previously ‘quiet’ establishments will suffer from noise pollution.

-- The cost of employing of hundreds (thousands?) of Smoke Police at around £20,000 each might be far better spent on Health Research.

-- The imposition of smoking bans causes unnecessary hardship. Just one report of an 85-year-old smoker who stumbled, hit his head and died when he left the comfort of the pub for a cigarette highlights the inhumanity of totalitarian measures.

--Social services will need to provide care for the vulnerable and elderly who become isolated through the ban.

-- Anti-smoking groups target only smoking and smokers thus distracting attention from high levels of environmental pollution and many lifestyle factors that directly relate to so-called smoking related deaths.

--Drink sales may not be harmed but a reduction of wet sales in Ireland indicates that there is more socialising in the home away from the controlled pub environment.

-- Fewer acceptable, all-year-round recreational venues for smokers will increase socialising in the home with the likelihood of inconvenience for neighbours. 

There is a lot more evidence to show that an overall health deficit will accrue from Government’s failure to anticipate health, environmental and social costs. Had the health lobby looked at the whole picture they might have seen the damage they are imposing on society, tradition and the British people. Their insistence on chasing every last tobacco carcinogen dismissed the acceptable solution of air quality improvement. Consultation was a sham when those invited were directly or indirectly government-funded groups. It appears that the public are not regarded as ‘stakeholders’ when it comes to health matters.

The British pub environment evolved from the people but will die due to impatience, missionary zeal and the short-sightedness of our politicians. 

This was foreseen in 2004.  

In the words of Scottish Conservative Health Spokesman David Davidson MSP “………..The reality is that a ban on smoking is not required. The voluntary approach is working perfectly well, and at present the trend is for more and more restaurants, cafes and pubs to be no smoking or at the very least to create more smoke free zones in response to public demand. This is not surprising, after all the same process has happened in cinemas, aeroplanes and trains over several years, all without the need for legislation. The voluntary approach is the right way forward. It should be for people - not politicians - to decide whether or not they want smoke free environments…………...”