Butt of the argument

In new York, smoking has been banned in restaurants seating more than 35 people. California and Florida have similar restrictions. A wave of lawsuits is sweeping the country concerning those that choose not to comply.

The bans were largely a result of a 1992 report by the Environmental Protection Agency, Second-Hand Smoking, which stated that the provision of separate smoking and non-smoking sections was inadequate. Many now believe smoking will be prohibited in all restaurants in the USA by the year 2000.

But while the anti-smoking lobbies may be celebrating, restaurateurs are far from joining in the party.

So far, the American experience has shown that businesses stand to lose customers if they ban smoking. Nine months into a ban in California, 300 Los Angeles restaurateurs were surveyed. One in six had been forced to lay off staff because of the drop in business. More than 55% reported a loss of over $10,000 (£6,700) a month on average.

As a backlash to this, establishments known as cigar clubs have sprung up, mainly in New York, aimed specifically at smokers. Some restaurants, too, are only catering for smokers.

The pressure to prohibit smoking in public places is already finding its way to the UK. The hospitality industry can no longer ignore customers who want a smoke-free environment.

In March 1995, research carried out for the Health Education Authority (HEA) showed that two-thirds of the public wanted smoking banned in family restaurants.

About 27% of the adult population smoke, but the HEA research shows that 48% of these people would support a complete ban on smoking within such family areas.

In November 1994, the HEA began awarding grants of £1,000 to promote smoke-free areas in the community. One special initiative to create smoke-free areas has been aimed at Birmingham Balti houses. The scheme was an attempt to highlight the smoking issue within the Asian community and raise its profile among restaurant-goers.

As in the USA, many people believe that providing ventilation is not enough to protect people from the effects of passive smoking. The solution, therefore, is either a completely segregated area or a total ban.

The Government is now considering legislation following a 1992 white paper, part of the Health of the Nation initiative, which set out the need to have an effective smoking policy in 80% of public places within two years.

Its aims have largely failed. According to a soon-to-be-published Government survey on smoking in public places, pubs are highlighted as the worst offenders, with just 14% having an effective no-smoking policy. Restaurants come next with 36%.

The pressure group Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) believes there is widespread support for legislation. "There is certainly a demand for legislation. The public wants smoke-free provision and is beginning to ask for it," says an Ash spokesman.

Despite this, restaurateurs and hoteliers would prefer not to have legislation forced upon them. Smoking has traditionally been left to proprietors' discretion and this is the way that many would like it to stay.

Legislation would create the added expense of having to divide rooms with extra walls as well as the foot the bill for ventilation systems.

A survey carried out by the Restaurateurs Association of Great Britain in October 1995 showed that 40% of its members felt the decision about smoking or non-smoking should be left up to proprietors. About 45% felt it should be a combination of proprietors and customers. Of the respondents to the survey, 54% already had some form of policy in place.

Most businesses would like to be able to accommodate both smokers and non-smokers. However, many have already banned smoking successfully.

From the 1 January 1996, smoking was banned in all 138 Toby Restaurants. This is the result of an eight-week trial in 12 restaurants, after which restaurant managers were given the choice whether to carry on or not. Customer survey cards were also used in the trial, and of those returned, 87.2% were in favour of the policy.

"We wanted to create a smoke-free environment, with just the pre-food bars still as smoking areas. It has not affected business," comments David Hunt, brand manager of Toby Restaurants.

Cliveden, in Taplow, Berkshire, used to have a message on its menus politely asking customers to refrain from smoking in the dining areas. It was not an enforced no-smoking policy, however.

A year ago this changed. Every menu now has a message asking people not to smoke and, whereas before an ashtray was produced if someone lit up, now customers are politely told to extinguish their cigarettes.

Cliveden had another reason for enforcing a no-smoking policy. The hotel is owned by the National Trust and is a listed building dating from 1666.

"Cigarette smoke does not do the building any favours, there is panelling and gilt edging in one of dining rooms," comments Stephen Colley, food and beverage manager.

Staff are not allowed to smoke anywhere in the hotel. This policy was introduced about three years ago and has met with no opposition.

Courtesy of choice

Courtesy of Choice, a scheme devised by the International Hotels Association and communications agency Spring O'Brien, allows businesses to cater for both groups by providing designated areas for smoking as well as efficient ventilation. It was first introduced in this country in March 1995 and is in operation in 22 other countries.

"The programme was devised with the Government's white paper in mind," says Cydney Barker, account director at Spring O'Brien. The Courtesy of Choice programme works in four ways:

• Check with your staff to find out whether customers have been requesting separate areas. Have requests increased or decreased?

• Confirm this information with your guests. When they ring up, ask them if they have a preference.

• Bring in engineers to evaluate the best way to use ventilation, looking at air intake and outake.

• Involve staff in the entire process, get their feelings on smoking, how they think restaurants should best be laid out, and get feedback from them.

Courtesy of Choice has been introduced at Belfast's Europa hotel. Doug Heady, deputy general manager, has worked in the USA and had first-hand knowledge of the bad feeling created by anti-smoking legislation. Heady claims the Europa is the first hotel to introduce the scheme in Northern Ireland.

He is a supporter of the programme "because I am a firm believer in being fair to both sides. Otherwise it becomes a rights issue".

Heady points out that providing a choice could have other benefits: "The productivity of the workforce goes down if you make them go outside to smoke. And if I eliminate smoking altogether I may not need to take on as many staff."

However, many pubs and restaurants are too small to divide into smoking and non-smoking areas. In a survey on the licensed trade, run by Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco (Forest) between 1992 and 1994, more than 70% of respondents said they would lose custom if they banned or restricted smoking on the premises.

Furthermore, in a feasibility study of the practicality of having separate rooms, 53% said it would be totally impractical and 29% said this would only be possible if their businesses underwent a complete redesign.

Marjorie Nicholson, director of Forest, says: "The licensed, hotel and catering trade needs to put forward its views to the Department of the Environment and make it aware of the different types of establishment, and how each might be affected.

"What is needed is something that takes into account diversity in both premises and clients."