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Pub Guide

Opening Times

Issue 131 Summer 2007

Download a copy of Opening Times 131 as a PDF file - 704 KB

REAL ALE INVASION OF SMOKE-FREE PUBS

CAMRA is urging publicans to prepare for a boost in demand for real ales following the banning of smoking in all pubs in England from 1 July this year.

And pub goers will now be able to savour the flavour of real cask ales as the fog of tobacco smoke is finally blown out of pubs and bars throughout the UK.

In Wales, CAMRA reported a boost in demand for real ale after the earlier ban of smoking there from 1 April.

CAMRA research has indicated that smokers are typically lager drinkers – of 1500 adults surveyed in England and Wales, only 25% of real ale drinkers smoked, but 43% of lager drinkers were smokers.

Locally, voluntary smoking bans have already been successfully introduced in a number of pubs, including the Three Horseshoes at Graveley, the Cock at Hemingford Grey, and in Somersham, the Windmill and Rose and Crown. Huntingdonshire CAMRA’s press officer Paul Moorhouse expects to see many similar success stories. ‘We are expecting an invasion of pubs by real ale drinkers who will be keen to savour the flavours of cask beers in smoke free environments. It is much easier to appreciate and enjoy the various flavours of different real ales in smoke-free pubs’

And a smoke ban has been good for business at Hook Norton pub the Marston Inn in Oxfordshire. Licensee Nigel Davies said: ‘Half of our regulars who smoked have given up, including one who had been smoking for over 50 years – and the rest still come to the pub.’

The research also indicated that after the smoking ban over 6 million pub goers in England and Wales expect to visit pubs more often and 840000 people who never go to pubs said they will do after the ban. And 68% of smokers said the ban will not affect their pub going habits, with only 3% of adults saying that they would not visit pubs as a result of the ban.

Paul Moorhouse continued: ‘We expect a minority of smokers to be put off going to the pub. But this will be offset by more use of pubs by others who will welcome the smoke-free environment. And with over two thirds of real ale drinkers being non-smokers, we expect it to be real ale that will benefit the most from this new trade. Any pubs that do not offer real ale are encouraged to stock one to attract this new clientele.’