One of the two great believers in a new smoke-free pub world is now on the rocks, becoming somewhat horizontal-although they seem to think the problem is of the vertical nature!
The other of our new age non-smoker drinking department seem to be all gas ‘n gaiters as they have put human life before the safety factors a child of ten would probably think of!
So, what of our two leviathans of the pub industry that voted for the smoke ban? What has the smoke ban been worth to either of them?
Punch want to sell off (or get rid of) 1,300 pubs. Pubs where smokers stood by the ‘shed-load’ have a few jars and a laugh. Now Punch have lost the smokers they are losing their pubs! Sublime justice in a way.
Enterprise on the other hand, due to supreme negligence (no doubt caused by financially stressful dealings) caused the death of a licensee through a complete disregard for gas safety! This has costs them £300,000 in penalties and much desire to see Mr Tuppens head in a basket!
Unbelievably, neither of these leviathans have had the brains to even contemplate calling for a reform to the smoke ban – too much pride at stake I suppose. Still, pride comes before a fall. When they are down to their last remaining public house I wonder if, just for one fleeting moment, they might then consider backing the smoke ban may just have been a slight error of judgement.
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