Quote:
Originally Posted by gynn
Not sure how you can be flexible with a smoking ban. There either IS one or there ISN'T.
The ban has to be seen in a long term context. Yes, some people have stopped going to pubs because they can't have a smoke, but others are being drawn to them by the cleaner atmosphere, and the knowledge their clothes won't smell like a used ash tray next morning.
As for pricing of alcohol, the suggestion has been to make the minimum price 50p per unit to get rid of cheap 2 for 1 supermarket and off licence offers. It equates to a pound a pint, so unless there are any pubs selling beer below that level, they won't be affected.
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There are quite a few flaws in your reasoning there.
Firstly, I said smoking laws, not flexibility on a ban. If there were dedicated smoking rooms or even smoking pubs then the story would be much different. I won't deny that it is nice to come home and not need a shower before bed but the lack of smokers has killed pub atmospheres stone dead in many cases.
Secondly, it only equates to a pound a pint if beer is of a certain strength and that would push most real ale past the £3 a pint mark. Also, if what you say were true then we should be seeing pints sold for less than a quid now and we aren't.
This is another prime example of the nanny state angling for another stealth tax. I didn't agree with the smoking ban and I don't agree with this.