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The photograph says it all: Another one Bites the dust !!
The Royal Engineer in Twydall Green has displayed the sorry message for some weeks now since its closure, highlighting the fate of all too many Great British Pubs thanks to government policy after government policy.
The fact is, no one wants to stand outside a pub, often in cold and/or wet conditions, like a social leper when they need to light up. No one wants to pay £3 (rough average) for a pint when they can get a four pack of cans from their local store for not a lot more.
Once again, the Government is penalising the majority, the responsible drinkers, due to the actions of the minority, the irresponsible drinkers. In order to “tackle” their fictitious “binging Britain” image ( an image exacerbated by the media which implies most drinkers, particularly the younger drinkers, are alcoholic louts), the government has taken it upon themselves to raise the Beer Tax.
The Government’s Beer Tax now accounts for 33% of the price of every pint.
However there is a way we can save the Great British Pub, a way that expands on the Conservative campaign features but which would, most likely, not meet with their approval.
The Conservative way, which I am not disagreeing with, is simple: they are ‘calling on the Government to help save our pubs and safeguard jobs’ by:
- Cutting taxes on lower alcohol drinks such as low alcohol beers and raising taxes on problem drinks like high strength ciders and alcopops in order to use the tax system to target binge drinking whilst ensuring that responsible drinkers and the traditional British pub are not unfairly penalised
- Enforcing existing laws to deal firmly with irresponsible drinkers & premises
- Trusting adults to make informed choices, not punish them for the actions of an irresponsible minority
- Supporting the British pub as a vital part of local communities
The fact is, though, that the smoking ban has contributed to the slump in the Great British Pub’s fortunes. Indeed since the ban was introduced, the proportion of British men who smoke has increased, leading to a greater proportion of men being put off going down the local for a pint in bad weather. And no amount of tax- or price-cutting will solve this issue.
The only thing that will truly save our pubs is by bringing back that great freedom: choice. I am not suggesting that it would be right and proper to completely lift the smoking ban, just to allow special dispensation for a proportion of pubs. Smoking in the workplace (excluding pubs) should not be allowed to return.
My “plan”, though not perfect, is as follows: every pub should be allowed to apply for a smokers’ licence. Every pub in posession of such a licence would then be allowed to let their patrons smoke inside again. However, this licence would need to be introduced with great care, thus the idea of choice comes into play.
There would be little point in allowing all pubs in one town to hold a smokers’ licence, as those wishing to just enjoy a drink or two in a clean atmosphere would not be able to. Thus local authorities, who should have the ultimate authority over the licences, would decide upon which pubs could, and could not, permit smoking inside by means of a cap: with at least, say 40% non-smoking pubs and 40% smoking pubs.
As I said, it’s not a perfect plan, and it would most certainly be received with very mixed opinions, but at least I’m trying to offer suggestions to save the Great British Pub.
Which is more than can be said about the Government.
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This is silly. How on earth would you decide who gets the license and who doesn’t?
Why should publicans be suffered to passive smoking yet office workers not?
Bad idea, I think.
All you need to do is stop supermarkets selling cheap booze.
And anyway, even when the Government comes up with awful ideas (and just ideas, not policies or anything else) they can canned for it. It’s a lose – lose situation.
Rob – as I said the operative word is choice.
Publicans have themselves, on numerous occasions, cited the smoking ban as a major contributing factor to their demise and have long opposed it. And many of the publicans – and even bar staff – that I know are smokers themselves.
It would be for the publicans themselves to choose whether or not to apply for a licence and with a cap there would be the availability of smoking and non-smoking pubs for patrons to choose from.
How would you go about forcing supermarkets to stop selling cheap alcohol?
I’ve no idea really.
The key for pubs is to look nice and offer food.
People don’t want dingy dives anymore, people want a place they can take the kids, have a meal and have a drink.
Take in Rainham, the Man Of Kent closed down, but a few hundred yards down the road, The Rose is doing a storming trade, because it offers (I have to say, excellent) meals.
However, that might be because it’s not a free house.
Personally, we should stick with the total smoking ban, and also stop smoking in public places such as benches etc. Soon it will become such a difficult activity that people won’t do it. Then the discussion will be irrelevant.
Rob – the suggestion that making smoking in all public places illegal will eliminate smoking, and thus the argument, is, no offence, ludicrous.
The fact is the taking of drugs, of whatever class, is a criminal offence, whether carried out in public or in private. Does this stop people from taking drugs? Or does this criminalise some people who would otherwise be law-abiding citizens?
Whilst it’s true that there are some people in the idyllic family who are just looking for a meal and a drink in a clean and pleasant environment, there are still those who just want to go out, have a few drinks, have a few fags and socialise with their mates in the warmth and comfort of a pub.
The smoking ban has made the latter impossible and it is finding a happy medium that my suggestion tries to address.
Different people want different things in a pub. Before the smoking ban, one group of people pushed to the side. Since the smoking ban, the scales have been completely tipped the other way and now smokers feel marginalised.
Since the smoking ban pubs have been closing at an unprecedented rate. I’m not saying it is the only reason, but as I said many publicans consider it to have played a large part in their closure – even the Man of Kent’s former landlord.
My suggestion would allow some pubs to permit smoking inside and boost their sales, in tandem with the Conservatives’ campaign calls, whilst allowing others to retain the friendly family atmosphere other patrons crave.
If the smoking was contained in seperate, enclosed rooms in pubs then I suppose it wouldn’t be too bad.
I would agree that the fairer thing would be for a comprimise.
As for a comprimise, been in the Cricketers in Rainham lately? Nice to have a meal, but also rather nice for a night out, I am told.
As for your first point, I don’t think it will wipe it out entirely, but it will reduce the useage considerably.
Incidentally Alan, are you a smoker?
Pubs should just start selling electronic cigarettes! Smoking bans (and ridiculously high tobacco taxes) don’t affect me (even though I smoke a pack a day) ever since I switched to electronic cigarettes! E-cigarettes are much safer than regular cigarettes, and you can smoke them anywhere cigarettes are banned (pubs, restaurants, even airplanes)!
I found this blog that helped me figure out which brand of e-cigarette I should buy. If you’re considering switching over, I hope this page helps you like it helped me:
greensmokes.blogspot.com
And here are some videos with information about how e-cigs work:
youtube.com/healthysmokes
Rob – sadly I’ve never been in the Cricketers, it’s just too far off the beaten track for me usually.
And yes, I am a smoker.
http://henrysturman.com/english/articles/passivesmokinglies.html