‘Cigs ban stubbed out business at my pub’
‘Cigs ban stubbed out business at my pub’
By Gavin Havery
A LANDLORD is blaming the closure of his village pub on the introduction of the smoking ban last year.
Alan Davision has run the Red Oak, in Lowland Road, Brandon, near Durham, for 13 years.
But he called last orders two weeks ago. He said it was because the Government's decision to outlaw cigarette smoking in bars and clubs.
He said: "I had built a good trade with lots of regulars and used to put on entertainment night, but the smoking ban definitely changed things.
"People do not want to go outside to smoke.
"It is freezing and they are just nipping out for a few drags then coming back in.
"It is not the way people want to spend their night, so they are just not going to pubs as much."
The smoking ban came into force on July 1 last year, making it a criminal offence to smoke in enclosed public places.
Some pubs have created outdoor smoking shelters, but others did not have the space to do so.
Mr Davison predicted that more rural pubs will close.
He said: "It is sad for the trade, but I think a lot more public houses are going to end this way "This is the state of things to come."
Mr Davison has won planning permission to have his pub demolished and plans to sell the land to a housing developer.
Durham City Council has approved the plan.
Councillor John Turnbull is a Durham City and a Brandon Parish councillor but does not sit on the planning committee.
He said: "It is a another loss for the community and we have already lost a working men's club.
"It was a good facility and the pub used to do meals for pensioners, which allowed them to get out of the house.
"It was a place people could go to meet up with friends and enjoy a drink and now they will have to go elsewhere. We've lost one of our few social gathering spots."
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk
By Gavin Havery
A LANDLORD is blaming the closure of his village pub on the introduction of the smoking ban last year.
Alan Davision has run the Red Oak, in Lowland Road, Brandon, near Durham, for 13 years.
But he called last orders two weeks ago. He said it was because the Government's decision to outlaw cigarette smoking in bars and clubs.
He said: "I had built a good trade with lots of regulars and used to put on entertainment night, but the smoking ban definitely changed things.
"People do not want to go outside to smoke.
"It is freezing and they are just nipping out for a few drags then coming back in.
"It is not the way people want to spend their night, so they are just not going to pubs as much."
The smoking ban came into force on July 1 last year, making it a criminal offence to smoke in enclosed public places.
Some pubs have created outdoor smoking shelters, but others did not have the space to do so.
Mr Davison predicted that more rural pubs will close.
He said: "It is sad for the trade, but I think a lot more public houses are going to end this way "This is the state of things to come."
Mr Davison has won planning permission to have his pub demolished and plans to sell the land to a housing developer.
Durham City Council has approved the plan.
Councillor John Turnbull is a Durham City and a Brandon Parish councillor but does not sit on the planning committee.
He said: "It is a another loss for the community and we have already lost a working men's club.
"It was a good facility and the pub used to do meals for pensioners, which allowed them to get out of the house.
"It was a place people could go to meet up with friends and enjoy a drink and now they will have to go elsewhere. We've lost one of our few social gathering spots."
http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk
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