Research published by Caterersearch's sister website Caterer.com has revealed the level of threats and actual violence suffered by hospitality employees now they have to ask customers to stop smoking.
A survey of over 5,000 hospitality workers revealed that over 40% of workers have had to ask customers to stop smoking since the smoking ban came into effect in England on 1 July.
Over 10% of workers have suffered threats or actual violence after asking customers to stop smoking.
More disturbing are the personal testimonies given to Caterer.com about customers idiosyncratic behaviour when asked to stop smoking.
“When I told him to put his cigarette out, he pulled down his pants and started masturbating in front of me.”
Unbelievably, the testimonies get worse
“I was told by a female customer that she’d make a sexual complaint against me if she was not allowed to smoke.”
“An angry Norwegian gentleman took none too kindly to being politely asked to extinguish his cigarette. In fact he took it so badly he decided to bash the security staff, and any other member of staff within arms length. He was later detained at Her Majesty’s pleasure.”
“I asked a young man to stop smoking and he told me to **** off. When I asked him to leave he refused and threw punches as I tried to eject him.”
“A customer told me that if I didn’t get out of his face he would smack me one.”
“Some guy pulled a belt round my neck and tried to strangle me.”
“I had a four inch lock knife pulled on me just because I politely asked a well-dressed young woman to extinguish a cigarette. I consider myself very lucky not to have been injured.”
While it may appear comical that a customer has decided to masturbate in public rather than have a puff on a cigarette, hospitality workers should certainly not be exposed to such behaviour or levels of violence.
If you have had a similar experience then please share them here.
