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Village pubs' anger over cigarette machine ban
6 December, 2007
Plan comes as part of new government cancer strategy
Rural pubs have slammed new government plans which could see a blanket ban on cigarette vending machines.
The proposals come as part of a five-year cancer strategy aimed at cutting down on the disease by encouraging people to change their lifestyles.
Launching the strategy, Health Secretary Alan Johnson said a consultation on the proposal would take place next spring, with the possibility of reducing cigarette displays in shops and a look again at packaging on cigarettes also on t agenda.
Licensees from village pubs have reacted with dismay to the news, with many protesting that their pubs’ machines are the only place residents can buy cigarettes.
Andy Brooks of the Laughing Fish in Isfield, East Sussex said: “A ban would be seriously detrimental as the machine is a service to the village.
“If you take away the only reasonable source for cigarettes for the village it really is a step too far by government”
Michael Willis, licensee of the Tite Inn in Chadlington, Oxfordshire added: “Why does the government punish alcohol and cigarettes all the time? I don’t think banning vending machines will help one iota”
The vending machine industry, meanwhile, has contested the government’s claim that machines are a source of cigarettes for under-18s. Paul Mair, marketing director of Cherwell Group said: “Cigarette vending accounts for 0.9 per cent of total cigarette sales, so the reality is that young people are not primarily getting their cigarettes from machines.
“My opinion is the government are using this as a way to look responsible, but the reality is they’ll achieve nothing.”
To find out more about the strategy visit www.dh.gov.uk
Readers' comments
If the lifestyle police think they know better let them ban tobacco completely & make up the lost tax revenue from their own pockets (just to remind them 8x the entire NHS budget is pocketed by the Revenue from tabocco sales). Pub vending machines are the best policed in the land. I'm just surprised the portman group havn't decided to join the fun as well...
I have a village pub - we have one shop in the village which is hardly ever open, so if locals want anything and we can supply it we will. 2 miles down the road is a Tesco store, so of course, good old Tesco will get all the smokers going there for their cigarettes and making further purchases whilst there. I really do wonder how much of a 'backhander' the leading supermarkets pay our Government to impliment these stupid rules. Oh, and as a matter of interest - the 24 hour licensing - only one Licensee in our area actually achieved his goal and got the 24 hour license - who? TESCO of course!!!
well done the civil servants ofuk firstly getting rid of post offices- shops and they now trying to close down the village pub. i.e anti smoking ,anti hunting anti drinking increased rates, higher fuel costs? Are they trying to provide an exclusive club in the country so that ordinary folk cannot afford to live there
Cigarette Vending Machines in Pubs are one of the best controlled outlets available. Children are not even allowed in un-accompanied and would certainly not be allowed to buy cigarettes in my pub as I am sure is the case with most Publicans.
Every school playground in Britain has it's own 'tobacco baron', selling cigs at £4 a packet. Why would kids pay more at vending machines? This daft move has only to do with the banning-culture beloved of the antis. Yet the more they drive smoking underground the more appealing it becomes to youngsters.
Banning vending machines does not say that you can not sell cigs over the bar like you do with cigars, also makes it easy to sell bootleg cigs to regulars and save on some tax. In your face Brown, darling.
I sell all my Tobacco products at cost price to stop my customers going to the 2 off-licenses opposite, because once they are there they get bombarded by the Londis Staff with offers of cheap, cheaper and practically free booze! this is wrecking my pub and many thousands of others. it is a practice that is illegal, yet seams to be encouraged by the government and particularly inadequate trading standards officers. I heard that some towns are now called "Tesco Towns" this is an understatement, we now have a "TESCO NATION" there is no doubt that the godfather of Tesco's is running this country, Gordon Brown following along behind picking up the droppings.
I agree with Mr.Mair Does the government really believe more underage sales come from vending machines than bootleggers?It is just another way of crippling legitamate businesses and increasing unemployment in the process.