Bream Bay Club Update
Smoking ban still a contentious issue, one year on
December 10,.2005
By Mike Dinsdale
The nanny state invading personal freedoms or an important law to protect public health?
The Smokefree Environments Bill – banning smoking in bars, clubs and restaurants – caused division from the day it was mooted and is still polarising people in Northland on its first birthday today.
Anti-smoking groups claim the law is a huge success and they have figures to show it has not led to a downturn in profits for bars and restaurants.
When the bill was introduced, many feared drinking establishments would close as smokers stayed away.
But one year on opponents are still not happy with the bill.
?
Brian Smith, president of the Bream Bay Club and the New Zealand Chartered Clubs association, said the bill had slashed profits for the country’s private clubs.
“My views are exactly the same as before it was introduced. I think the technology is there to handle the situation of smoke in bars, as has been proved overseas. Places in Europe are using technology (to get rid of smoke) very effectively,” Mr Smith said.
“For many it’s affected patronage, but we were proactive in providing facilities for smokers outside. Those that have done that have minimised the effect,” Mr Smith said.
“But there’s no doubt that this draconian law has not gone down well with our members. We are a private club. These are our members and it should be up to them to determine the rules of their club.”
Mr Smith said as long as smoking was legal, clubs should be able to make up their own rules.
He said research by the Chartered Clubs Association of its 365 member clubs showed that in the past year bar takings were down by 11 percent while pokie machine takings were down 14 percent. Mr Smith said those losses would be even higher among Northland’s 16 private clubs.
“And when we did that survey it was during the Lions tour where business should have been booming.”
But Sue Green, licensee of Dargaville’s Central Hotel, says the ban was a positive move that had not led to a downturn in trade.
The pub will commemorate the passing of “Harry Rag the Fag” and the first anniversary of Smokefree Bars today.
This time last year Ms Green and patrons gathered to bury Harry Rag the Fag.
She said the pub had not attracted extra non-smokers, as she thought it might, but turnover was the same as before the legislation.
“I’m a smoker myself but it’s a much nicer atmosphere to work in now. The staff, and they smoke too, are quite happy about the smokefree atmosphere now,” Ms Green said.
The law had also made the historic two-storey country pub safe, she said.
“Banning smoking inside reduces the risk of fire for an old building like this pub.”
Meanwhile, Des Wallace, licensee of Bacio Bar and Brasserie in Whangarei, has noticed an increase in his own productivity since the bill.
“The work that I would normally do prior to opening is done in half the time as I’m not always stopping for a cigarette. There are also no more cigarette burns in the table tops,” Mr Wallace said.
Staff at Bacio also enjoyed working in a cleaner and healthier environment.
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