ISTANBUL (not Constantinople) - Despite Turkey having passed a law in May that created a partially smoke-free environment, the implementation of the smoking ban has been claimed as one of the victims of the global financial crisis as restaurant owners choose to ignore it and hang on to their customers.

However, restaurants and cafes in shopping malls that do not want to lose smokers as customers are ignoring the ban.

The same applies to the Olivium mall in the Zeytinburnu district where some restaurants are ignoring the ban due to the decrease in customers. The proprietor of a restaurant where smoking is permitted in Olivium said, “[The ban] reduced business by 90 percent. We had 11 employees here, now we have five, it is a shame…

Source: Hurriyet Daily News.  Link

The plight of Ms. Guérin is being replicated all over France, as traditional cafes and bars suffer and even close, hit by changing attitudes, habits and now a poor economic climate. In 1960, France had 200,000 cafes, said Bernard Quartier, president of the National Federation of Cafes, Brasseries and Discotheques. Now it has fewer than 41,500, with an average of two closing every day.

The number of bankruptcies filed by cafe bars in the first six months of 2008 rose by 56 percent over the same period a year ago, according to a study by Euler Hermes SFAC, a large credit insurance company. No reliable figures are available for the latter part of this year, when an economic slowdown here has been accelerated by the general financial crisis, a collapse in consumer confidence and the quick tightening of credit.

Not only are the French spending less, and drinking less, cutting down on the intensity and quality of the debates, but on Jan. 1 of this year, after much huffing and puffing, France extended its smoking ban to bars, cafes and restaurants.

Marco Mayeux, 42, the bartender of Le Relais, a Paris cafe in the 18th Arrondissement, said the ban alone had cut his coffee and bar business by 20 percent.

“A place like mine doesn’t appeal to everyone; it’s very working-stiff,” he said. “There is a coffee-at-the-counter feel that isn’t attractive anymore.”

Before, clients would go inside a cafe, have a coffee, a cigarette and another coffee. But now they go out to smoke, and sometimes they do not come back, many cafe owners said.

In Paris, Mr. Picolet, of Aux Amis du Beaujolais, said simply: “The bar-cafes? They’re finished. Twenty years ago, people would go in the morning before work for a coffee and a cigarette. And now, it’s over. Young people don’t drink during the day, and when they drink, they drink to get wasted. Smoking is forbidden and they eat en route, with coffee in a paper cup. They smoke and drink at home.”

Source: The New York Times.  Link

THE HAGUE (AFP) — Dutch cafe owners on Saturday took to the streets of The Hague in protest at a smoking ban they say has seen business drop by up to a third.

The cafe owners want the ban, which came into force on July 1, scrapped arguing they have neither the space nor the money to build specially-ventilated smoking areas.

Source: AFP. Link

CAMPAIGNERS fighting for the future of the Great British pub are today attempting to alter the controversial smoking ban.

Even the government accepts the legislation has had a huge impact on trade and is allowing bars to claim business rate reductions.

The ban is often cited as one of the prime factors killing pubs - and now a campaign has been launched in Suffolk to try to amend the law.

Jim Adams is behind the bid and is urging regulars at pubs all over the country to sign a petition.

“The smoking ban should be replaced with a rule that would require all public houses to have a room set aside for smokers instead of the really stupid overall ban,” said Mr Adams, who runs Jim and Donna’s Barbers in Hamilton Road, Felixstowe.

“The ban is killing the pub trade and removing from the English way of life one of the most sought after features for tourists coming here. There is no justifiable reason to stop those who wish to smoke from so doing.

“If there is another part of the pub which is a smoking area then the folk who wish to smoke may so do, and those who want a smoke-free area may have the rest of the establishment - including the food area - to themselves.”

The Evening Star is highlighting the loss of pubs in the area - more than 100 have closed in living memory - and the threat many are now facing to their future.

Kate Nicholls, head of communications at the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers (ALMR), which represents pubs and bars, said: “Last summer’s bad weather and the smoking ban were to blame for a number of closures.

“People are not going to want to stand outside and smoke when the weather is unpleasant and with extremely cheap supermarket drink deals available. It just gives people a reason to stay home.”

Source: Evening Star.  Link

Minnesota smoking bans for instance were the catalyst for closing an unprecedented 200+ bars, restaurants, and bingo halls.

Nationwide and around the world the loss of businesses and jobs after smoking bans are implemented is staggering. Even though air quality testing by organizations like the American Cancer Society, Johns Hopkins, a Minnesota Environmental Health Department, British Medical Journal published contributors prove that secondhand smoke levels are 15 - 25,000 times SAFER than OSHA permissible exposure limits (PEL).

Meanwhile Nicoderm manufacturer Johnson & Johnson Company, whose private foundation RWJF funds the smoking ban movement, saw 40% 1st quarter 2008 revenue growth over their previous year.

Currently, smoking cessation product sales just in the U.S. accounts for $500 million, but thanks to rent seeking smoking ban legislation; industry insiders expect those sales to climb to $4.6 billion annually by 2016.

Source: Casino Gambeling Web.  Link.

JOHNSTON, Iowa — After a decade in business, the Nest Bar and Grill in Johnston is empty.

The owner, Rich Marx, said the smoking ban drove him out of business.

“We just celebrated our 10 year anniversary last Wednesday and then shut the doors three days later,” Marx said.

“Since the smoking ban went into effect July 1, we’ve lost just over 40 percent of our business,” he said.

Source: KCCI.  Link.

GULFPORT, MS (WLOX) - Eight months ago, Ricky Dombrowski supported Gulfport’s smoking ban. But after watching almost 30% of his profits go up in smoke, he’s had a change of heart. Dombrowski is now pushing for a modification to the smoking ban, before it snuffs out his restaurant.

Dombrowski has received two calls from Gulfport police, warning him that smoking inside Skeeters is illegal. But if he obeys the law, he says his Gulfport business could close.

In the first three months after smoking was banned, his restaurant revenues dropped more than 30%. So, in August, he started to look the other way when people wanted to smoke. By October, he put out ashtrays.

Source: WLOX-TV.  Link.

Carpenter works part time at the Legion. He said the smoking ban has driven away business. Pull tab receipts are down and people who used to be regular customers don’t come around as often and they don’t stay as long. Carpenter said veterans especially, should have a right to smoke in their own club.

“They’ve served their country, and a lot of them are older veterans,” Carpenter said. “They’re not going to stand outside in 35 below zero weather and smoke. I mean, they’ll sit at home and smoke.”

The Bemidji American Legion has been smoke free longer than most bars in the state. That’s because Beltrami County passed a smoking ban ordinance a full two years before the state did. Club manager Bill Rice said the ban is largely to blame for cutting the club’s business in half.

“We were doing two and a half million in business in gross sales a year,” Rice said. “We’re down to a little over a million this year.”

Rice has had to cut three jobs at the Legion since the smoking ban took effect.

Minnesota Licensed Beverage Association interim director Tony Chesak said it’s clear to him the ban is causing bars across the state to fail.

I’d say, realistically, 200 to 300 licensed establishments, at least, have closed,” Chesak said. “I would think that would be a conservative number.”

Membership in the association dropped about 25 percent this year. Chesak said the promise of non-smokers frequenting bars more often because of the smoke free law hasn’t panned out.

“All the anti-smoking folks had said, you know, you get smoking out of your facilities and we’ll come in droves,” said Chesak. “Well, those droves didn’t come out.” {They never do.}

A poll conducted in September shows Minnesotans support the statewide smoke-free law by an overwhelming 77 percent. Gordon said national studies have found that smoking bans don’t hurt businesses in states that have bans in place. {That’s only true of studies conducted by nicotine nannies or the governments that passed the law. The few studies funded by tavern associations show the real, devastating effects.}

Source: Minnesota Public Radio. Link.

The worst year in history for Colorado casinos claimed its first victim Friday, when the Wild Horse Casino in Cripple Creek closed its doors, putting 62 employees out of work.

Revenues for casinos in Cripple Creek, along with Colorado’s other gaming towns, have fallen every month this year. In September, Cripple Creek gaming revenues fell 10.3 percent to $12.8 million compared to the same month in 2007, according to the state Division of Gaming. Statewide, gaming revenue was off 18.7 percent in September and 11.4 percent for the year to date.

Source: Hotel Online. Link.

Lost Lanes proprietor Natalie Hanks said her establishment has lost 74 regular bowlers from last season due to the recent state law that forbids smoking in public spaces. Her husband, Harry, estimated they had 250 bowlers in leagues last year.

“I would say 65 percent of the dropoff is related to the no smoking law and the other 35 percent for economy reasons,” said Hanks, who owns the 14-lane bowling alley and Found Lounge restaurant (connected to the bowling alley) with her husband Harry.

“We knew there would be a dropoff, but not this severe.”

“I know of four to six houses in Buffalo that closed due to the no smoking law,” Hanks said. “We’re nervous.”

Source: The Meadville Tribune.  Link

“The smoking ban is having a major impact,” said Tom Swoik, head of the Illinois Casino Gaming Association. Casinos in Illinois have posted double-digit declines in revenue since the smoking ban took effect in January.

{And here it comes. . . the nannies favorite line. . . The Level Playing Field}

To create a level playing field, the Casino Association of New Jersey, which fought the Atlantic City ban, is now arguing in favor of smoking bans in other states. In an email statement, the association’s president, Joseph Corbo Jr., wrote: “We are hopeful that other nearby gaming jurisdictions, notably Pennsylvania and Connecticut, soon enact smoking bans.”

{So their solution to the ban killing their business is to spread it to their competition.  Brilliant.}

Source: The Wall Street Journal.  Link

Jack Tan, Administrative and Finance Manager of Coffeezone has said that from the past week that the smoking ban has been in place, he has noticed that about 30 per cent of his usual customers have stopped coming.

“About 40 per cent of loyal customers are smokers, and that is why we have an outside seating area, but now with the ban, there is no point to have .outside dining at the restaurant,” he said.

Source: BruneiDriect.com. Link

As of July 2007, smoking in enclosed areas of pubs and clubs across NSW has been banned.
 
ClubsNSW, which is the peak body for venues across the state, said clubs suffered their worst financial year ever, with overall club income falling by $385 million in the last financial year.

Figures from Office of Liquor, Gaming and Racing estimate a revenue downturn of $26,052,814 in the Parramatta area - a fall of 11.7 per cent.

Source: Parramatta Sun.  Link

August 2, 2008–State Senator Jack Hatch helped push the smoking ban through the statehouse, and now he’s dealing with an unexpected and unpleasant result.

Smokers at Carl’s Place in Des Moines’ Sherman Hill neighborhood have to take their butts outside. It just so happens that “outside” is right across the street from Hatch’s home.

“I look over there every once in a while expecting somebody to shout something at me, but they don’t. They’re polite,” said Hatch, one of the biggest proponents of the ban.

The irony is as thick as the smoke. A gaggle of noisy smokers abiding by Hatch’s law, but making an eyesore for him in the process.

“I don’t think they know it actually, but I do. And it’s nice for me to be behind the bar and watch out these two big windows and see thirty to forty people out there having a good time and smoking cigarettes,” said bartender Scott Renaud.

Renaud claims he’s lost thirty to forty percent of his tips due to the smoking ban, but he won’t find sympathy across the street, where Hatch says the smokers will come back around. “If someone is really going to be bothered because they can’t smoke, then that’s because that person’s really addicted too badly. I think people will settle into something very comfortable,” Hatch said.

Brian Froehlich, president of the Iowa Bar Owners Coalition and a plaintiff, testified that the month-old ban has already slashed sales in bars across the state by 25 percent to 30 percent and as much as 50 percent for some establishments.

“I’d say 80 percent of them are still allowing people to smoke in their bars because if they don’t, they won’t have anybody in there,” Sturgis said.

New figures show pubs are closing down at their fastest rate ever and in a special investigation, the Guardian’s KARL HOLBROOK looks at how the smoking ban, longer opening times, rising taxes, cheap supermarket booze and changing attitudes have hit Leyland pubs.

Anyone thinking about running their own pub in Leyland has been spoilt for choice lately.

That’s because there are currently three pubs on the market and two others have been taken over by new landlords in recent weeks.

Also, rumours have emerged that other pubs are close to being put on the market and local landlords say they are struggling to survive.

“A pub is now closing every six hours in this country and nobody is doing anything to stop it.

“The government keep putting taxes up, levies get harder from the breweries, the smoking ban took about 20 per cent of trade away and supermarkets under-cut everyone with cheap booze promotions.

Paul Fields, who runs the Dunkirk Hall in Dunkirk Lane, is another landlord who is quitting the business because of slumping trade.

The experienced publican blames the introduction of the smoking ban, which came into force on July 1, last year.

He said: “I’ve been brought up around pubs and it saddens me what is happening. The smoking ban has hit everyone hard.

“Last year I had to spend about £3,000 preparing for the ban with smoking shelters and things, but it didn’t make a difference.

However, landlord Dave Sutherland said he quit the Broadfield Arms, in Leyland Lane, earlier this year because the ban wiped out 30 per cent of his trade.

“The fact of the matter is that we have lost an awful lot of local pubs and we are going to lose a lot more.

According to Mr le Clercq, 1,400 pubs closed across England last year, compared to just 255 the previous year.

Source: Leland Guardian.  Link

Another place. Another smoking ban ruining gambling. Australia is the latest place to get hit hard by a recent smoking ban. Poker machine turnover is down at casinos since the ban took affect.

In hotels last month, poker machine turnover was down nearly twenty percent. Millions of dollars are being lost, and some casino operators are blaming the smoking ban, yet other believe there are more
factors at play.

“There is growing evidence that the continuing drop in revenue is not related just to the indoor bans. With petrol prices up substantially this year and several more interest rate increases announced, households are clearly reducing how much they gamble,” said Chief Executive of Clubs NSW, David Costello.

The weather last month also has taken some of the blame from club owners. When it rains heavy like it did last month, smokers are less inclined to go out knowing they will have to go outside in the rain to smoke.

Compared to last year’s March numbers, the numbers are drastically down. In hotels, poker machine turnover is down nineteen percent. Clubs saw a decrease of eleven percent from last year in the same month.

Source: Casino Gambling Web. Link

Nicholas, aged 44, is a smoker and said he hardly goes to the pub anymore.

“I can get eight cans for a fiver, so I stay at home more now. I think the ban is a negative thing, there will be no pubs left here soon. I can’t see how they will survive. It’s against human rights,” he said.

However, 31-year-old Rebecca, also a smoker, doesn’t mind the ban, and prefers eating out in smoke-free pubs.

She said: “It’s a better environment for people to eat, especially for the little ones.

“But I do think it’s bad in a business sense. I work across the road from a pub and they have been dead since the ban.”

Source: Wales Online. Link

Tini Bigs’ owner Keith Robbins, says cigar smokers enjoyed their lounge for 10 years until the smoking ban killed business. He says, “In the first 3 months of the smoking ban, we were down over 40 percent and for the year we were down over 30 percent, and it hasn’t come back.”

Source: My Northwest. Link

Senate Bill 346 would exempt family-owned business, outdoor patios and private clubs from the current smoking ban.

“The time has come to take this step,” Cates said. “Why? Because this measure is hurting business in Ohio.”

The Moose Family Center has experienced a dramatic drop in business, which management blames on the smoking ban.

Revenue for the lodge is down at least 60 percent since the ban, said Larry Turner, govenor of the lodge. To be successful, they need to bring in about $28,000 a week; last week they brought in $16,000, Turner said.

Turner dismisses claims from the American Cancer Society and other pro-smoking ban groups that have said more customers would be attracted to places where smoking is banned.

“It’s a damn lie. It’s not happening. You can’t find that anywhere in Ohio,” Turner said.

“The law ensures that all business will operate on a level playing field with one fair, statewide standard that is easy to enforce. Furthermore, the intent of the law—to protect all workers from secondhand smoke— was clearly communicated to Ohio voters,” [American Cancer Society Nanny] Hoctor said.

(Ah yes, the famous, favorite line of the nannies, a level playing field. They still haven’t figured out their constant use of the phrase reveals the lie of bans being good for business. If they were, there would be no need for their cherished “level playing field.”)

Source: Cincinnati.com. Link

TAKINGS at some pubs have slumped by up to 40 per cent since the
smoking ban came into force, a shock survey of landlords by The Press
has revealed.

But 17 pubs said trade had fallen because of the ban, in many cases by 20 per cent or more.

Since the start of the year, several pubs - including the Oddfellows
Arms, in Pocklington, and The Phoenix, in George Street, York, have
closed.

Alan Jackson, who has been landlord of the Edward VII in Nunnery Lane,
York, for about five years, said he believed his trade was down by
between 25 and 30 per cent because of the ban.

Source: The Press.  Link.

According to an article in Britain’s Times newspaper, the smoking ban has destroyed the nightlife for bars night clubs in France. The article stated that ever since the smoking ban went into effect on January 1st

the French are prefer to stay home and host house parties. A whopping twenty percent of the 200,000 bars in the nation have been closed down. It is stated that 40,000 bars have been shut down since the onset of the smoking ban. The public is choosing to stay at home, smoke and have fun at house parties as the newly preferred style of night life.

Sabah.com Link.

THE smoking ban is threatening the future of the Flimby Working Men’s Social Club.

The Chapel Street club is being forced to sell of land around it because of financial problems and last week staff hours were reduced and heating regulated in a bid to cut costs.

Secretary Jimmy Langley said the smoking ban kept smokers and non-smokers away.

He said: “Since the smoking ban we have been fighting closure. The non-smokers have been denied the right to a social pint or two without smelling like an ashtray, but when the numbers dropped, many non-smokers stopped coming in because of the lack of atmosphere. If this goes, the village has had it.”

Mr Langley said the club had been on the site since 1927, when it was a Miners’ Welfare and had been central to village life.

Source: Times and Star, UK.  Link

One year ago, the smoking ban - a law some said would devastate Britain’s pubs - came into place.

Punch Taverns
Britain’s largest landlord has had a rotten year. Its shares have collapsed by 70% as beer sales fell 10% with total like for like sales 3% worse and halfyear profits down 20%. Falling volumes and customer numbers have come at a time of rising energy and food costs.

Enterprise Inns
The sprawling tenanted and leased pubs chain includes many thousands of country locals, which have had to work harder to repair the trade of the lost bar-propping smoker. Its shares have fallen 35% in a year - not as much as others because of a likely change in tax status to a real estate which will boost to shareholder dividend payments. Latest reports talk of an upturn in trade, though profits have been falling more than 10%.

Marston’s
Best known for its Pedigree bitter, its pubs include some stalwarts of the City as well as the Pitcher & Piano chain. With the shares more than halved in a year and the latest figures showing profits down by almost 20%, ‘resilient’ was the best that chief executive Ralph Findlay could come up with when comparing his bars with the competition.

JD Wetherspoon
Its shares have cratered 60% since the fag ban, despite it leading the way by banning smoking in much of its estate even before it had to.

Restaurant and café owners whose businesses are located inside enclosed venues and shopping malls have been suffering a 15 to 20 percent drop in turnover since an indoor smoking ban went into force on May 19 have claimed that it is not the ban but unfair competition that is responsible for plummeting sales.

Shopping mall managers say the sharp fall in turnover was mainly caused by eateries located outside shopping malls, where the ban on smoking will not go into effect until next year. Smokers who spend their time in shopping malls walk out to nearby restaurants that offer a smoke-friendly alternative, a situation mall managers say creates unfair competition. Managers demand that the smoking ban in all restaurants and cafés, scheduled to take effect on July 19, 2009, should either be moved up to an earlier date or their eateries should be excluded from the indoor smoking ban until that date.

{This is fairly typical behavior.  When bans hurt one sector but not another, the injured parties often demand that the pain be spread around in the interest of “fairness.”} 

Source: Today’s Zaman.  Link