| Redwood Leisure has, from today, stubbed out smoking in the family-orientated restaurant and lounge areas of their Birkill Inn on the outskirts of the city.
However, the public bar will still cater for puffers, and the company – which has 13 pubs and two hotels in the Dundee area – is not currently planning to introduce bans elsewhere within the group.
Company managing director Gordon Whiting today told the Evening Telegraph he believed the licensed trade – and not the Scottish Executive – was best placed to cater for what the public wanted.
“This is a bit of a hot issue at the moment, and we are very much against the blanket ban that seems to be being proposed. It’s over the top,” said Mr Whiting.
“There appears to be a one-sided argument coming out of the Executive about what is happening in Dublin. Tourists say they are not going and trade is down 15%.”
First Minister Jack McConnell yesterday visited the Irish capital to see first-hand the effects of the tough anti-smoking laws in place there.
It is understood he has come round to the idea that a similar ban could work in Scotland, admitting yesterday he was “fascinated” by the Irish model.
However, a public consultation in Scotland, which has already had over 20,000 responses, won’t be completed until later this month.
Mr Whiting said he “couldn’t believe” the statements coming out of the Executive while the public were still being asked for their views.
The consultation process included a meeting in Dundee in June which heard concerns that some pubs will be forced to close if a ban is introduced.
Publicans are predicting responses to the questionnaires will be broadly supportive of a ban in eating places, but not in pubs. That is borne out by a recent trend at the Birkhill Inn where, in the past year, the smoking tables in the eating areas have been the last to be taken.
Mr Whiting added, “I think the licensed trade has to police it themselves, take cognisance of what customers want. Things like no-smoking areas and improved ventilation need to be looked at.”
Health experts say just 30 minutes’ exposure to tobacco smoke is enough to reduce blood flow to the heart. Smoking is the single biggest cause of preventable death in Scotland. |
