Twelve years ago a radical new law changed life in Britain forever. The Health Act 2006 came into force in July 2007 and smoking in public places was banned. This had a huge effect on many of our public places, and one in particular, that great British institution: the pub. A habit that had become synonymous with drinking and pubs was outlawed overnight. Think of comic characters such as Andy Capp, with his pint in one hand and a cigarette eternally attached to his lower lip, or scenes from great British films from the 1960s such as Kes and This Sporting Life, depictions of working-class life in which a cigarette and a drink were constant companions. All this was gone, and there were many who mourned its passing.
Did the smoking ban kill the pub?
There were predictions that the smoking ban would kill the British pub, and it’s certainly true that pub numbers have declined since the ban – but there is little evidence that this is due to the smoking ban. In fact, since 2007 pubs have come up with ever more inventive ways to accommodate smokers: smoking shelters, outdoor areas, outdoor heaters (it was said, half-jokingly, that the smoking ban would contribute to global warming thanks to the increased use of these heaters). Necessity is the mother of invention, and the increase in outdoor smoking areas and shelters led to a surge in demand for outdoor pub and bar furniture – and pub furniture companies such as Trent Furniture responded with pub chairs and tables for outdoor use that were durable, stackable and weatherproof. Many pubs now have a special area for smokers where they can sit and enjoy their habit in comfort and even warmth. Pub gardens that were previously tatty and under-used are now properly fitted out with comfortable furniture and made attractive with plants, trees, fairy lights and other decorations.
And while the smoking ban almost certainly deterred a certain type of drinker – older, male, smoker – it also meant that pubs were suddenly more attractive to women, younger people and families, as well as those who had previously hated inhaling second-hand smoke and emerging from a pub smelling of stale tobacco. Asthmatics, too, relished the newly fresh air, while bar staff could stop worrying about the damaging effects of passive smoking, and their jobs no longer involved unpleasant tasks such as emptying ashtrays. Pubs became cleaner, brighter, free of nicotine-stained ceilings. And because people began to feel more comfortable about bringing their children into pubs, there was a rise in sales of food in pubs – which, again, had a knock-on effect as sales of dining furniture rose in response. Pubs became cleaner, brighter and more inclusive.
The rise of vaping
Now the pub trade is facing a new challenge: vaping. Sales of e-cigarettes have rocketed in recent years as people discover safer ways to get their nicotine “hit”. Billowing clouds of flavoured vapour drift from these devices, and special shops have opened to supply the paraphernalia required – batteries, cartridges of “juice” (the liquid that is vaporised on contact with heated coils), and the devices themselves.
E-cigarettes have been around in various forms since they were first invented in the 1920s, but it was in the early 2000s that a Chinese pharmacist, Hon Lik, began taking out patents on what was to become the modern electronic cigarette. (Hon Lik was motivated to come up with a safer alternative to smoking after his father, a smoker, died from lung cancer.) Today the UK vaping market is worth more than £1 billion annually. There are 1.9 million fewer smokers than compared with when the smoking ban was introduced, while three million of us are now vaping.
E-cigarettes come in two broad categories: closed and open. Closed systems use a cartridge of liquid that is simply clicked into place. Open systems are refilled by the vaper and the fluid can be customised. The vapour is inhaled, giving that all-important nicotine “hit”.
Vapour is safer
Vaping is popular because it is much safer than smoking. Some health experts have argued that it is a kind of “gateway” to tobacco smoking, and it is certainly true that it has introduced people to nicotine who may not have used it otherwise. But the fact remains that it is comparatively safe, both for vapers and for those around them. Nicotine itself is a relatively safe substance – the dangers of smoking cigarettes come mostly from the chemicals released by tobacco when it burns, and while e-cigarettes do produce some harmful chemicals, these are released in very small quantities.
But what is the legal situation around vaping? There is no UK law banning e-cigarettes from public places. In Wales a ban was proposed but the legislation was defeated. Many public facilities such as railways, railway stations, the London Underground and airports have introduced their own bans on e-cigarettes. But vaping is not in itself illegal in public places.
Nor is it illegal in pubs. It is entirely up to pub landlords as to what they allow; some chains have introduced bans across all of their pubs, while some have left it up to individual landlords.
But regardless of its legality, the truth is that vaping is not allowed in many pubs. Some pubs are worried that seeing someone’s device emitting clouds of vapour can be worrying and disconcerting. Some have banned vaping because the smell of the vapour itself – which comes in an array of weird flavours, including bacon and beer, as well as the more widespread fruits – can be offputting, especially if food is being served. Some pubs will allow vaping as long as the odours are not offensive and it is done considerately.
Pubs can profit from vaping
So in many pubs, vapers are essentially in the same boat – or, rather, the same shelter – as regular smokers. Pubs that have spent money accommodating cigarette smokers following the smoking ban can rest easy, knowing that they have the infrastructure in place, though perhaps they will need to extend or expand their outdoor areas to cope with the extra numbers. Vapers do not need pubs to supply ashtrays or any other equipment. They just need somewhere to sit and enjoy their habit, and Trent Furniture’s range of outdoor furniture is perfectly suited to the task.
But there is also an opportunity here for pubs to increase their revenues and retain their customers. There is nothing to prevent pubs from selling vaping paraphernalia. Selling this equipment via vending machines or from behind the bar will help to increase revenues in two ways. First, the vaping equipment itself will bring in extra revenue. And second, it will prevent the need for customers to nip off to a shop to replenish their e-cigarettes, which would otherwise have meant a loss of drinking time for the pub. Times are changing, and pubs need to keep up with those changes. Meanwhile, Andy Capp – who is still going strong in the Daily Mirror – stopped smoking in 1983, though he has yet to take up vaping.