Verdeeldheid tussen Britse horeca organisaties
Nu de stemming in het Britse parlement over een rookverbod dichterbij komt (volgende maand) begint de spanning in de Britse horeca op te lopen. Gisteren kwam de British Beer and Pub Association met een oproep aan het parlement om een totaal rookverbod in te voeren in plaats van het huidige plan waarin een uitzondering wordt gemaakt voor etablissementen die slechts weinig voedsel serveren en privé clubs. Volgens de BBPA is dat een oneerlijke verdeling waardoor bepaalde zaken een voordeel krijgen. Dan maar een totaal rookverbod, zeggen zij.
De Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR) is tegen deze oproep in het geweer gekomen. Ook zij vinden de huidige voorstellen arbitrair (wat heeft het serveren van voedsel met roken te maken?) maar pleiten voor dezelfde regeling voor elke horecagelegenheid en zijn fel gekant tegen een totaal rookverbod.
Ook de Forces zusterorganisatie Forest heeft in een persbericht aan het parlement laten weten tegen de nieuwe oproep voor een totaal rookverbod te zijn:
“Britain isn’t the Soviet Union. Polls show that people want a choice of smoking and non-smoking facilities. If that means going to a private club where smoking is allowed they should be given that choice.”
British Beer and Pub Association
Pub industry bosses have backed the fight to stub out smoking and introduce a comprehensive smoking ban in all enclosed workplaces in England.
At a press conference today (23 January) the British Beer and Pub Association finally joined
forces with the wider hospitality industry to call on MPs to support one smoking law for all.
With MP’s free vote next month on the health bill making a ban on smoking in pubs highly likely, pub industry leaders have been forced to concede the point in a bid to protect the industry’s interests.
Rob Hayward, chief executive of the British Beer and Pub Association said: “Exempting Britain’s 20,000 members’ clubs from a smoking ban that affected all pubs would be grossly unfair on the pub trade, and make no sense in terms of protecting people from second-hand smoke.”
The trade association is calling for proper debate over the smoking issue and alternatives that involve separate smoking space, effective ventilation or exemptions for vulnerable outlets.
The trade body supports calls for a level “playing field” across all types of premises including members clubs in the forthcoming free vote.
Nick Bish, ALMR chief executive, said. “These proposals are divisive, illogical and commercially unsustainable.
“MPs have now been given the chance to make up their own minds – but still have no opportunity to choose between a total universal ban or for exemptions that can apply equally and fairly across the spectrum of pubs, bars, restaurants, clubs and other hospitality businesses.
“The real choice for Parliament should be between an outright ban for all, or for specific universal exemptions that are based upon the facilities that outlets have – not on the kind of licence that they hold or the sort of food that they serve.”
Smokers’ lobby group Forest has urged MPs to reject new calls for a total ban on smoking in public places.
Describing as an “unholy alliance” an initiative in which leading figures from the hospitality industry have joined forces with the healthy lobby, Simon Clark, director of Forest, said:
“Two years ago the drinks industry was largely united in its opposition to a smoking ban. Now some people can’t wait to embrace it. Jumping on the anti-smoking bandwagon may seem a smart move to some but many customers will be unimpressed.
“If pubs are worried about losing business to private clubs they should either campaign for designated smoking rooms or improve other facilities so customers will remain loyal to their local pub.”
Clark accused the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) of failing to defend market forces and freedom of choice.
