Friday read: Is the outdoor smoking ban a smoking gun for hospitality?
London’s D&D restaurant group isn’t the only major player in UK hospitality to significantly invest in outdoor spaces over the past 17 years.
Since 2007’s crackdown on indoor smoking, spaces ranging from pub gardens to rooftop terraces have plunged hefty sums into making sure the guest experience remains high across the board, whether or not they choose to partake in combustible cigarettes or vapes.
Now however, yet another boost of investment under Covid could be going to waste as the freedom to smoke al fresco nears the chopping block.
“While I wholeheartedly support initiatives that promote public health, I believe that this ruling could have unintended consequences for the hospitality sector,” David Loewi, CEO of D&D London, tells Harpers.
“The hospitality industry thrives on offering diverse experiences tailored to the preferences of our guests. Restricting guest choice may lead to a decrease in footfall, ultimately impacting jobs and the livelihood of those who rely on a vibrant hospitality scene.
“We must find a balance.”
Brendan Padfield, owner of Michelin Guide-listed gastropub The Unruly Pig, puts his objection in even stronger terms.
“This is wokeism on steroids. As a non-smoker, I thought the initial smoking ban inside pubs to be a very positive development. However, this proposal is just another body blow for pubs when they are closing at a record rate.
“It feels like a war of attrition at times. I struggle to understand the logic of a smoking ban in a pub garden, but not in your home back yard. I would have thought His Majesty’s government has far more pressing issues to focus on rather than hit an already very hard hit sector,” he says.
Despite last week’s rumours and the subsequent uproar, it seems the smoking ban is very much on the cards under the new Labour government. On 29 August, the prime minister confirmed that the government is looking into outlawing smoking in pub gardens, outdoor restaurants and outside hospitals and sports grounds as a way of “alleviating the burden on the NHS”.
One of the most baffling parts of the issue seems to be that smoking is currently in decline. There is of course no getting away from the harmful effect of cigarettes on personal health. However, according to the latest figures from the ONS, the UK now has the lowest proportion of current smokers since records began in 2011 (around 12.9% of over 18s, or 6.4 million people).
News of a potential outdoor smoking ban also chafes against the reality for businesses across the UK.
“Covid, the cost of living crisis, Brexit labour shortages, food inflation and now this,” adds Padfield. “At this most difficult time for the hospitality sector, the last thing we need is a move that will persuade less customers to dine out or go for a pint.”
With tobacco use falling, it seems possible that more sensible solutions other than an outright ban can be found.
As ever, it will be up to businesses to make the case for a balanced approach. In this instance, the middle ground sits somewhere between public health, personal freedom and much-needed business growth – with the latter crying out for help in highly challenging circumstances.
As Kate Nicholls, chief executive of UK Hospitality, says: “[A potential ban] comes with the prospect of serious economic harm to hospitality venues.
“You only have to look back to the significant pub closures we saw after the indoor smoking ban to see the potential impact it could have. “The government must embark on a full and detailed conversation with affected parties before any legislation is laid.
“It must also assess whether such a ban would achieve its aims of meaningfully reducing smoking or simply relocate smoking elsewhere, such as in the home.”
Hospitality responds to the crackdown on lighting up outside
Simon Emeny, chief executive, Fuller’s
“This would be unnecessary legislation and would be very disappointing from a government that claims to want to support business and grow the economy. We would prefer to see adult consumers being able to make sensible life choices – and most hospitality operators have already invested as such with both smoking and non-smoking outside areas.”
Neil Bruce, wine margin optimiser at Studio Alto and Fuller’s former head of wine
“I’m a non-smoker who spends a lot of time in pubs, and this ‘initiative’ smacks of a nanny state approach. It’s the sort of tokenism rubbish I might have expected from the last lot, rather than this new government. I’m appalled by the idea. But my fear is if the industry continues to try to make the business case against this, it will fall on deaf ears. At its core, the argument is about people’s freedoms, not about money.”
Nick Rendall, owner of Birmingham landmark the Rainbow Pub
“From an operator’s point of view, it’s a very bad idea. The UK is one of the most difficult places to operate a hospitality business in. Unlike other European countries, we have very high turnover-based taxes, VAT and business rates. We also have extremely high utility costs as the government has allowed extreme profiteering from the energy companies at the direct expense of small business. The sector is being decimated; the number of nightclubs has halved in the last decade.
“Major breweries and pub companies are glossing over the real numbers in an attempt to protect share prices. What’s needed is supportive policies for the sector, not another kick in the teeth. The UK appears to be supportive only for non risk-taking rent seekers and aristocrats, while penalising entrepreneurs and businesses who actually create employment.”
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