The interview
The interview with Ann Cooper, a waitress in the Old Arcade
Why did the pub go to smoke free several months ahead of the smoking ban?
Honestly sooner of later we have to make changes. And smoke free is the way to go. Many pubs have already become smoking free much earlier than ours. We can see most of them did a great job. If we wait until the ban is imposed, we might suffer from more pressure than other pubs. And it is a good opportunity to do that before Christmas.
How is the feedback from your customers?
Almost no complaints. Sometimes when they want to smoke, I will remind them here is smoke free and they just go to the courtyard. Most people like the atmosphere. I think people have realized the importance of health. And nobody wants to go home smelling of smoke, even a smoker. It is good for all of us. Now I really enjoy working in the Old Arcade.
Has the pub lost any business by smoking free?
No. It doesn’t make any difference. To some degree the sales of food and drinks are better. I think because it smells clean, people want to stay longer here and then order more food or drinks. Is it much easier for you to work here?
Definitely it’s easier. Before people were allowed to smoke, this would make the floor absolutely disgusting. I really hated myself smelling like a bin every night when I went home. Some stuff quitted this job just because they can’t stand breathing the secondary smoke any more. But now everything is fine. My mother doesn’t need to worry my health at least. Could you give some suggestions for pubs going to smoke free?
Sure. First they should believe that this is the way to go. Nobody wants to be a second-hand smoker, especially when they know more smoking facts. And then you just have to do it. There is no doubt that people want to eat or drink in the nice and clean atmosphere, including all smokers. Don’t worry that the pub will probably loss some customers, there will be more to fill the gap.
Act before the smoking ban « xinjomecblog said,
December 11, 2006 at 5:45 pm
[...] But changing to a smokeless pub was not an easy decision initially. According to research stated in The Publican Food Report 2006, 53 percent of the pubs in Wales expect to see a decline in trade once the smoking ban is imposed in April, 2007. For the Old Arcade, a traditional Welsh pub, the situation might be even worse. A lot of regular customers are used to lighting a cigarette over a glass of beer. Most of them will possibly feel strange with the unfamiliarly fresh atmosphere under the ban, and then go to elsewhere. “How can I sit in a pub without a cigarette?” one of the regulars said to Ann, a waitress in the pub, when she carried out the survey preparing for the refurbishment. [...]