 |
Campaigners fight for 'Freedom2Choose' in Liverpool
Published 16th November, 2004.
Story from Southport Reporter: http://www.southportreporter.com/152/southportreporter152-14.shtml
AN independent campaigning group has emerged in to fight the potentially
ruinous ban on smoking in pubs.
Freedom2Choose launches tomorrow with protests across the length and breadth
of Britain aimed at highlighting the crippling consequences for jobs,
the leisure industry and pub goers themselves.
It will be launched at midday in the Grapes pub, Roscoe Street, Liverpool,
where there is huge concern in the community at the effect of the ban.
Freedom2Choose was founded by independent businessmen and landlords alarmed
that the views of the majority are being overlooked in pursuing a heavy
handed, unworkable ban.
Despite calls from unelected health lobbies for an undemocratic ban on
right to choose to smoke
in pubs, research and evidence taken from Ireland and New York - where
such restrictions exist.
But Business has fallen in licensed premises almost a third in areas where
a ban exists. Other surveys show more 88 per cent of pubs and bars in
New York have seen trade plummet bar a quarter. Jobs being laid off in
increasing numbers, with fears that the same could happen and More than
nine out of 10 non-smokers oppose a ban.
Such evidence flies in the face of reckless claims that a ban is working
in other areas and could work here.
It even goes against the habits of almost half of all pub customers, with
research last year showing that 48 per cent of all punters like to smoke.
Freedom2Choose is fighting back against such claims and distributing posters
and beer mats to 40,000 pubs and bars urging customers to sign a petition
opposing the ban, which will be presented to Tony Blair.
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, and even their
friends who do not smoke.
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.
It is reckless for the Government to consider such anti-democratic action
without listening to the people who work in the industry.
Freedom2Choose is here to fight for ordinary people's right to enjoy a
simple pleasure of smoking in a pub if they choose to and protect the
many thousands of jobs who depend on that choice being available."
Mr Bullough added:- "If customers want to smoke in certain areas
of a pub, they should be allowed to without the powers that be telling
them what's good for them.
The major effect I can see such a ban having is that many regulars will
stop coming here.
There are more reasonable alternatives, that benefit everyone."
