"Today sees the Smoking, Health and Social Care (Scotland) Bill enter its final phase in the Scottish Parliament.
Amongst the reactions to the ban is this by David Matthews of KPMG. "This should come as welcome news to all those involved in the pub industry who may have assumed that a ban would have a massively detrimental effect on their profits. Our survey shows that while there may be some loss of trade amongst regular pub-goers this loss will be compensated for by increased patronage amongst the “once a week” brigade.”
The inherent stupidity of this comment simply beggars belief. Ask any bank manager to lend you money on the premise that you’re just about to lose a sizeable chunk of your regular customers and see where it gets you.
A total ban on smoking will have nothing but a detrimental effect on establishments such as pubs, clubs and bars."
I can certainly confirm that, in my (central Edinburgh) local, 75% of the clientele smokes and that the manager is extremely gloomy about the impact of next year's proposed ban. My personal attendance in the pub is occasioned by the availability of sport on TV - I certainly could not sit through a Lions match (any Lions match) without the solace of a gasper from time to time.
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