SmokeFree

The hospitality industry publication, The Morning Advertiser, has joined the organisers of national No Smoking Day to promote 14 March as an opportunity for a dry-run of going smokefree.

Landlords and venue managers are being urged to go smokefree on national No Smoking Day - Wednesday 14 March - to learn from the experience ahead of 1 July.

The idea is to give businesses the opportunity of trial running a smokefree pub, from reminding customers not to light up to adjusting to having more people outside, where they will have to go if they want to smoke. It should also help customers get used to the idea of visiting a completely non-smoking pub.

Smoke Free for a Day is also intended to gain publicity for some venues whose landlords may be concerned about how smokefree legislation will affect trade. It is hoped that those in this position will consider holding similar attention grabbing events in the future to generate additional business.

Speaking in support of the initiative, Punch Taverns' director of customer services Francis Patton said:

"We will be actively encouraging everyone in both our managed and leased divisions to take part.!

Major tenanted pub operators including Punch, Greene King and Admiral Taverns are all backing the idea.

The Morning Advertiser has said it will be offering suggestions for events around Smoke Free for a Day over the coming few weeks. One idea is to host a stop smoking clinic to help regulars and staff kick the habit.

Original article appeared in the Morning Advertiser.