Liverpool ’s Clean Air and Healthy Profits

The Liverpool echo has teamed up with the landlady of the Thomas Rigby’s pub, which has agreed to ban smoking for a week.

The experiment is supported by Smoke Free Liverpool, the campaign to make the city a healthier place to live and work in time for 2008.

The landlady, Fiona Watkin smokes 40 a day and has worked in bars since she was 18. However, she was convinced about the benefits of smoke-free pubs and restaurants during a visit to the US: “A few months ago, if anybody had asked me to make my pub smoke-free I would have laughed at the idea. But I recently went on a honeymoon to Las Vegas and the difference was amazing. My husband and I both smoke and we really cut down on the number of cigarettes and although we haven’t given up completely, it means we are both a lot healthier and closer than ever to kicking the habit.”

The newspaper also reports that Merseyside’s first non-smoking pub has registered “record breaking-profits.” The Ring O’ Bells in West Kirby barred smoking in June 2003.

Since then the alcohol sales have risen 60 percent and food takings have doubled. The pub’s kitchen had to be refitted to cater for the demand.

Landlord Alan Jones said: “We lost some custom, which was a concern. But our profits have proved us right.”

 

Source:Liverpool Echo, 18 th August 2004