Two million adults going to pubs less after smoking ban

Two millions adults are going out to pubs and bars less as a result of the smoking ban, according to new research.

The survey of 2,098 adults warned that the “drinking man’s pub” was under threat with 16% of those surveyed admitting to going out less due to the smoking ban.

Mintel says the sample equates to two million of the adult population shunning their local boozer to smoke at home.

Consumer analyst firm Mintel found one in three (33%) regular smokers now smoke less when they are out, while 22% felt the ban had disrupted their socialising.

Helena Spicer, senior leisure analyst at Mintel, said: “The attitudes of smokers to the ban are not as negative as they could have been. But the fact that even a small percentage are going out less now will prove critical to some venues.

“Those that are being worst hit are bingo halls and the smaller independent, more traditional pubs because their customers are amongst those who are most likely to smoke.”

Spicer added that the smoking ban had blurred the lines between the pub and coffee shop, a move which would result in “profitable trends”.

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By Christopher Walton

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