If pubs were given the option of becoming a 'smoking only' establishment then what would happen?...they would probably all go for it in the mistaken belief that it would save the day, and the overall ban would become null and void. So I doubt if an 'opt in' and 'opt out' situation would happen in reality.
I say mistaken, because ruling out 70% of the population is not a good model for business success.
Just two things to add here..
The problem as I see it, is that the market has actually moved away from small pubs and I doubt if smoking would do much to improve business. At the moment we have a few guys huddled round the bar not smoking ( remember the story about the White Horse).. so what if we had the same few guys huddled round the bar smoking. It wouldnt make any difference to revenue. The casual passer by going into places like that feels he is intruding whether they are smoking or not..we spoke of this before. The places are empty, you go in and order your pint and you sit there on your own reading the paper and probably disturb the few guys at the bar, as they now have a stranger in their midst!!
The other point I would like to make is this. I live across the road, dead opposite, the Premier Inn Marine Court. Its doing great business. The smoking ban has NOT affected them one iota. Pubs doing food are now the thing. they have captured the market. They are moneyed, have spent considerable amounts on lighting and seating and lo and behold the public like it. This is where the market went. Jo Bloggs now brings his wife with him and goes here, and places like it. The traditional customer has moved on to something new.
I still like an oul pub myself. Am fond of The White Horse, its a hundred yards away...but I dont go in as much as I did once because it became so gloomy. I can be gloomy at home!
