Smoking ban - Publicans should stop whinging

IN another public relations victory for the Government, four pubs in Cork city and county which were flouting the smoking ban are now complying with the legislation.

Faced with the prospect of High Court injunctions, and with the ominous threat of garda objections looming when their licences come up for renewal, the ashtrays have been put away.

Stubbornly, however, vintners are maintaining their opposition to the ban, blaming it for the loss of 2,000 jobs in Dublin, where a survey found average drink sales were down 14%.

While compliance with the ban has been exemplary in the capital, the Licensed Vintners’ Association (LVA) claims it is having a “disastrous” impact on its members.

More than likely, however, a similar survey of pub customers would probably find the unconscionably high price of drink is having a much bigger impact on sales than the smoking ban.

Arguably, if the price of beer and spirits came down, sales would go up.

The LVA should stop whinging and put this theory to the test.