Anti-smoking group attacks smoking ban survey
23 August, 2006
ASH Scotland raises questions over Scottish Licensed Trade Association survey
Anti-smoking group ASH Scotland has hit back at a survey that claims the smoking ban has had a negative impact on pubs.
A survey released today by the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA) revealed that nearly half of the country’s licensees had seen a drop in trade since the ban was introduced in March.
But ASH Scotland have branded the survey as “the unsubstantiated opinions of a small minority of their (SLTA’s) members, without factoring in all the wider economic pressures”. The group also said the poll “smacked of desperation”.
The SLTA survey of 365 premises also found that 51 per cent of those questioned reported that their regulars were spending less.
Maureen Moore, chief executive of ASH Scotland, said: “The majority of Scots have welcomed and embraced the legislation. Many people have used the legislation as a motivation to quit or to smoke less when they are out. The overall picture is a positive one."
Readers' comments
The figures produced by SLTA run very close to the more general findings of the Publican's own (presumably UK wide) 2006 market report with respect to actual and anticipated drop in sales arising from the ban Also, in all the "initial" post ban surveys carried out, the outlets surveyed have been considerably less than the SLTA numbers surveyed So how on earth can Ms Moore claim this to be derived from an "unsubtantiated opinion". Come on Publican.com when are YOU going to stop publising "unsubstantiated opinion"