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Protest at 'crippling' smoke ban - Scotsman.com
Published 08th September, 2004.
Story from scotsman.com: http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=663&id=1056992004
A SMOKING ban could have "crippling consequences" for jobs in
Scotland, campaigners were set to warn today.
The Freedom2Choose campaign was being launched with protests across Britain
against smoking being banned in pubs.
It comes after First Minister Jack McConnell yesterday reaffirmed his
intention to take action on smoking in public.
Campaigners claim any such ban would have "crippling consequences"
for jobs, the leisure industry and pub-goers themselves.
The protest against a ban was today being launched in the Doublet bar
in Glasgow, where there is concern in the community at the effect of the
ban.
Freedom2Choose claims evidence taken from Ireland and New York - where
such restrictions exist - shows that business has fallen in licensed premises
almost a third in areas where a ban exists.
Freedom2Choose founder and businessman Rod Bullough, who employs more
than 40 people whose jobs are at risk from the proposals, said: "We
are not advocating smoking but see an outright ban as way over the top.
"It would ostracise millions of people who smoke in pubs.
Far more serious is the risk such a ban would have to jobs. A growing
amount of evidence is showing that the ban is hitting businesses hard."
