I just spotted a tweet by @thepubgeek that said there's a pub in St Leonard's and a bar in Hastings that have been allowing smoking inside over the last couple of days. While I completely sympathise with smokers not wanting to get their hands cold while they feed their habit, Is it really wise for businesses to risk breaking the law to be hospitable?
A couple of years ago - and when i was a (cough, cough) smoker - i was in a bar in New York in the winter. Around midnight the owner drew the blinds and gave the all clear for everyone to smoke.
Thinking back it was pretty foul as the place filled up with a smoky fog in no time but i did light up like everyone else.
I can't think of this happening anywhere in the UK though. I think the smoking ban was pretty new out there at the time so, like here, people were more incluned to ignore it.
Now everyone's used to it i'm surprised anyone even considers it hospitable to allow people to light up.
I suppose whether one is a Shoplifter or any other miscreant who breaks a minor law, at any level. It appears to only be a crime these days if there's a injured victim. Some non-smokers will see smoking in a non-smoking area as an assault. Other's will grin and bear it if the circumstances warrant breaking the current law. Not forgetting, however, it does becomes a real crime when one is caught by the constabulary. This will all depend on whether there is a snitch amongst your customers.
In these current winter conditions, even though I am a non-smoker, I doubt I'd complain. Probably just get on my bike and go elsewhere and mum's the word!
I think you're right Anne, smoking inside is now so alien to most people that we're highly tuned to pick up the first whiff of cigarette smoke. Even if it's a lock in I think any landlord should be wary of non smokers who might potentially report other guests smoking.
Can it really be considered assault though? That sounds a bit harsh.
I'd be interested to know if a landlord had been penalised after a customer has complained about smoking.
The whole issue seems to have lit up again in this cold weather and Holland's decision to relax their smoking policy.
I too would be interested to know if anyone has actually been penalised after being reported.
But surely, the law can not be so much of an ass, as to prosecute a landlord for what amounts to a one off breach of the law in these circumstances? Yes of course if the breachers were to be consistent.
Anthony Lloyd
Fallowfields Hotel and Restaurant, Oxfordshire
www.fallowfields.com
You never know though. There will always be one unlucky person that lets it happen for the first time, gets caught, and is made an example of as a warning to others.
You might be better off loaning 'smoking jackets' to customers so they don't shiver to death outside! Make sure they're fairly ugly though so they don't run WAY with them.
I meant away - hit caps by accident!
Or put your company name on the back so that if someone does make off with it they're giving you some advertising along the way...