The number of bar and pub firms going out of business in the first three months of the year was more than double the number in the same period last year, [...]Wow! That's nasty stuff. Especially considering the escalating devastation the industry has already been suffering since ... ooh, about 2007?
Here's another quick reminder of pub closure figures.
UK Pub Closures 2004-2009
Or ...2004: 478The Graun piece goes on to say.
2005: 102
2006: 216
2007: 1,409
2008: 1,973
2009: 2,365
The position of many pubs and clubs is generally accepted to have been made worse by the smoking ban and a losing battle for sales with supermarkets.Now, I don't know about you, Nick Clegg, but I reckon an amendment to the smoking ban is a cost-free measure which could dramatically boost the fortunes of a hefty proportion of the pub and club economy. Whaddya think?
And, oh look, you have a Great Repeal Bill on the go which it could be tacked onto.
How very convenient.
If you haven't yet joined the corresponding Facebook group, please do so here or at the sidebar and invite your sympathetic friends. Ta.
9 comments:
Methinks we will all still be wishing come bloody christmas 2020!
Nice thought, but I'm sure you know full well, not a cat in hells chance.
The ruling elite and the liberal intelligentsia of all parties speak with one voice on this. Not to mention our EU masters who wouldn't permit such a relaxation of their control of the masses.
Rather than looking back to our lost freedom to smoke, it might be wiser to look ahead to the freedoms we are about to lose. Freedoms such as being permitted to drink and eat what we want, freedom of travel, and freedom to say and think what we please because these are to be the new battle grounds.
Hopefully, the coalition will mark a turning point after the socialist oppression of the last thirteen years, but I'm not sure that support for freedom is one of Cameron's strong points.
Time will tell.
John: I do look ahead to those freedoms we are soon to lose. I write about them quite a bit. But accepting freedoms already lost is defeatist and counter-productive, and exactly what those who wish to deprive us of further freedoms wish to see.
Move on. Sit down. Shut up.
There is far more in favour of an amendment to the smoking ban than against it. If nothing else, it would bring us firmly into line with the rest of Europe, and remember that Nick quite likes the EU.
There is plenty more banging left in this particular drum. ;-)
Dick, please keep banging, we need more like you.
With Cameron and Clegg both being non smokers they will not amend the smoking ban as they might have to go in a bar and be tempted to start smoking again and that would not be 'politically correct'
it would bring us firmly into line with the rest of Europe
Unfortunately DP it the other way round, the rest of Europe are being forced into line with UK anti-smoking policy as the likes of Spain tighten their smoking bans. The fight continues though, I, for one, can't just roll over on this.
The Grauniad? Mentioned the smoking ban? What's going on?
George
Top class piece,Dick
Trouble is, the few campaigns and
anti ban bloggers are only reaching the small number who
bother with blogging ,twittering etc.The other 99% dont think
anythings happening. Even a leaflet
campaign would only guide people
to a website which would soon lose their interest.Sooner or later
some well organised blogger or
campaigner will have to bang out
a regular action news sheet which can be downloaded Printed and
circulated to those beyond the Pale.. Latest news,invited comments
addresses,who to write,lists of
sympathetic sites,best pubs,cut out
posters,stickers,badges,places to meet, dirty tricks Dept and any
other waken up ideas. Something to dish out to the pubs and clubs and the thousands stood outside
If I can download,print and distribute 100 A4s a week for less than £2 I cant see why others cant.
Of course thats if they really
want to try and amend the ban that is.
Cant think of any other way oh
and please no comments about it being tried before.
U NO U
'Anonymous' Clegg is not a non smoker.
Post a Comment