Smoking research centre
Discussion
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1180826/La...
Landlady transforms pub into 'smoking research centre' in legal loophole so customers can smoke indoors.
Business boost: Landlady Kerry Fenton doubled her customer numbers after bringing back smoking in her Barnsley pub under a 'legal loophole'
With her pub struggling to survive, landlady Kerry Fenton needed a way to bring in business - fast.
So when one of her regulars claimed he had found a 'legal loophole' to get round the smoking ban, she decided to act on his advice.
Just five days later, customer numbers have quadrupled as word has spread about the 'smoking research centre' in the Cutting Edge pub in Barnsley.
James Martin, 40, studied the fine print of The Smoke-Free (Exemptions and Vehicles) Regulations 2007 to come up with a solution to his local pub's problems in the non-smoking era.
He worked out that a 'smoking research centre' could be introduced if the building has a separate room and no through bar. Customers would be allowed to smoke in the room after filling in a research questionnaire about their smoking habits.
Miss Fenton, 36, gave the smoking room the go ahead and is delighted with the results.
She said: 'Before our research centre opened we were lucky to get 10 people in at a weekend and we were struggling to survive.
'It's certainly given business a shot in the arm and it's all in the name of research, legal and above board. On Friday we had 29, on Saturday 31 and on Sunday 46 customers in the tap room.'
Now her secret is out, however, the authorities are likely to move to close the loophole and end the pub's evasion of the ban.
Miss Fenton, a non-smoker herself, asks smokers to put 50p in a charity box for a donation to cancer research.
Research: Kieron and Beverly Jubb light up after filling in a questionnaire
The questionnaires ask customers if their smoking habits have changed since the introduction of the new law and details of their age and how many cigarettes they smoke.
She said: 'I am collecting all the questionnaires and keeping them safely. I hope they can be used by academics in universities and colleges who are interested in studying the effects of this law.
'I am a non-smoker but I believe in the freedom of the individual. There is no good reason why people should not be allowed to smoke.'
Mr Martin, a printer, said: 'I wanted to have a pub to smoke in before they all closed down. I studied details of the act closely, we drew up the questionnaires and it's taken off in a big way.
'I have already had enquiries from other pubs about introducing research centres and I'm expecting many more to join in.'
Customers take full advantage of The Cutting Edge Pub's designated smoking research room
Yesterday news of the 'loophole' caused confusion in Whitehall with the Home Office and Department of Health referring enquiries to each other.
But local authorities are likely to show more interest.
Punch Taverns, which owns the pub, said it did 'not endorse this activity' and the licensee 'will be advised against' continuing with it.
The local council, which is responsible for enforcing the ban on smoking in public places, is also looking into the matter.
Simon Frow, Barnsley Council's head of Regulatory Services, said: 'The Cutting Edge is quite clearly not a research or test facility and as such is not exempt under the legislation quoted as an attempted "get out" clause.
'Therefore, the law requiring it to be smokefree applies and we will be enforcing it.'
The maximum penalty for permitting smoking on smokefree premises is a £2,500 fine.
I admire the balls of the landlady (IYSWIM).
The whole "smoking in pubs" thing could have been solved by making it optional. Pubs that wanted to attract smokers could have applied for a smoking license, those that didn't wouldn't. Non-smokers would go to the non-smoking pubs and smokers would go to the others.
And I'd put a bet of £3,000,000 on which pubs would be more popular.
The whole "smoking in pubs" thing could have been solved by making it optional. Pubs that wanted to attract smokers could have applied for a smoking license, those that didn't wouldn't. Non-smokers would go to the non-smoking pubs and smokers would go to the others.
And I'd put a bet of £3,000,000 on which pubs would be more popular.
The whole smoking in pubs thing could be solved by just ignoring it.
I don't think there is a lot they can do in the face of mass civil disobedience.
If a 'smoking warden' comes asking me who to write the £50 fine to i'll tell him that my name is Buggs Bunny and I live on the moon.
ETA: I bet that pub is packed to the rafters every day of the week.
I don't think there is a lot they can do in the face of mass civil disobedience.
If a 'smoking warden' comes asking me who to write the £50 fine to i'll tell him that my name is Buggs Bunny and I live on the moon.
ETA: I bet that pub is packed to the rafters every day of the week.
Edited by gamefreaks on Wednesday 13th May 16:09
Los Palmas 7 said:
The whole "smoking in pubs" thing could have been solved by making it optional. Pubs that wanted to attract smokers could have applied for a smoking license, those that didn't wouldn't. Non-smokers would go to the non-smoking pubs and smokers would go to the others.
Don't forget the whole smoking ban in pub thing came about because it's protecting the workers in the pub.Even if the landlord wants smokers in the pub, do all the staff?
Puggit said:
Los Palmas 7 said:
The whole "smoking in pubs" thing could have been solved by making it optional. Pubs that wanted to attract smokers could have applied for a smoking license, those that didn't wouldn't. Non-smokers would go to the non-smoking pubs and smokers would go to the others.
Don't forget the whole smoking ban in pub thing came about because it's protecting the workers in the pub.Even if the landlord wants smokers in the pub, do all the staff?
Puggit said:
Los Palmas 7 said:
The whole "smoking in pubs" thing could have been solved by making it optional. Pubs that wanted to attract smokers could have applied for a smoking license, those that didn't wouldn't. Non-smokers would go to the non-smoking pubs and smokers would go to the others.
Don't forget the whole smoking ban in pub thing came about because it's protecting the workers in the pub.Even if the landlord wants smokers in the pub, do all the staff?
Puggit said:
Los Palmas 7 said:
The whole "smoking in pubs" thing could have been solved by making it optional. Pubs that wanted to attract smokers could have applied for a smoking license, those that didn't wouldn't. Non-smokers would go to the non-smoking pubs and smokers would go to the others.
Don't forget the whole smoking ban in pub thing came about because it's protecting the workers in the pub.Even if the landlord wants smokers in the pub, do all the staff?
The smoking ban was another case of civil liberties being taken away. Government interference, controlling our lives, not letting us make decisions for ourselves.
Puggit said:
Los Palmas 7 said:
The whole "smoking in pubs" thing could have been solved by making it optional. Pubs that wanted to attract smokers could have applied for a smoking license, those that didn't wouldn't. Non-smokers would go to the non-smoking pubs and smokers would go to the others.
Don't forget the whole smoking ban in pub thing came about because it's protecting the workers in the pub.Even if the landlord wants smokers in the pub, do all the staff?
Simples.
whitechief said:
It is quite an inspired exploitation of a loophole, it will be interesting to see how they counter/ take enforcement against this.
Agreed. I suspect they'll be made an example of to put people off trying to wriggle out of it in the future. We should do a sweepstake on the fine. I say max fine for her & the pub maybe any punters when the police invade the place by force.Edited by whitechief on Wednesday 13th May 16:25
I was listening to this debate on the radio and they are on the ball. I say all the best to them. Nobody needs to work in the "research centre" and it is totally seperate from the dull bar. I've always said there should be comprimise instead of these do goody winkers just cutting the boaby off the bull.
Many previous postings make really good sense.
Many previous postings make really good sense.
Good for them, hope they can keep it going. Like we all know, the way the ban was handled was poor and lacked foresight. It hasn't stopped me going to the pub, but it's obvious that it's stopped many. My local is cheap and was always busy, now the only time I see it nearly full is for the big football finals.
A positive for me has been that I've met and become friendly with more people through smoking outside. Being outside and huddled together you generally chat more. Before hand I might have seen someone in a pub for months but never really met them as we'd be at our table or playing pool.
I do also know one pub locally which you can stil smoke in, but I'm saying no more
A positive for me has been that I've met and become friendly with more people through smoking outside. Being outside and huddled together you generally chat more. Before hand I might have seen someone in a pub for months but never really met them as we'd be at our table or playing pool.
I do also know one pub locally which you can stil smoke in, but I'm saying no more
camgear said:
I bet the smoking ban is abolished by 2011 
Don't be so silly! A government relinquishing control over something...Hell No!!! They gotta ban stuff. It ain't been a day at work if they've not tried to ban something people like doing! Who the hell devotes their whole career to snivelling and arselicking for long enough to get in a position of power only to hand it back again?
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