Clancy’s Fish Pub in Fremantle and Applecross have become the latest venues to announce indoor smoking bans.
Clancy’s Fish Pub in Fremantle and Applecross have become the latest venues to announce indoor smoking bans.
The two venues join the Holiday Inn, which announced smoking bans last week.
Their decision comes at a time when Queensland has moved to ban smoking in pubs but the WA branch of the Australian Hotels Association remains committed to retaining smoking areas in pubs.
From January 1 2007, tougher smoking restrictions that require publicans to ban smoking in all but one room in an establishment will apply to WA pubs.
WA Business News understands five pubs and one bar in Perth have implemented total smoking bans indoors while three other operators have voluntarily adopted the proposed smoking bans.
Allowing a one-room concession for smokers has drawn criticism from health groups and was brought under question by WA Health Minister Jim McGinty.
Mr McGinty said that total smoking bans in enclosed public places would be inevitable after a review of smoking laws at the end of next year.
Clancy’s Fish Pub co-owner Joe Fisher has been in the pub business for about 25 years and said the decision to implement indoor smoking bans was a sign of the times.
“It’s the way to go,” he said.
“It’s been very well received. The majority of smokers understand and they’re already used to not smoking in restaurants.”
Mr Fisher said there had not been a noticeable impact on trade and his Subiaco pub would go smoke free if it gained approval for an outdoor area.
Clancy’s Fish Pub is a member of the Australian Hotels Association.
Mr Fisher said it would be easier to implement bans if there were legal requirements.
“My problem is I don’t like being the moral arbitrator. I’m a lapsed smoker and I am reluctant to criticise smokers, it would be easier for us to blame someone else,” he said.
AHA WA public affairs manager Karen Connell said AHA members were working towards substantial bans to take effect in 2007 but were concerned about the lack of certainty in the outcome of the review of the State’s smoking laws next year.
“We don’t know what the findings of that review will be but we would hope that it would be consultative and that all stakeholders are involved so that whatever findings it does make are adopted and that they are accompanied by reasonable time frames so that not only business but the community has the time to accept and adhere to them,” she said.
However, the Holiday Inn did not want to wait until 2007.
Holiday Inn business development manager John Nelson said several staff raised health concerns and that resulted in smoking bans for its bar and cafe. He said a few regular smokers now sat outside and there had been no economic impact.
The Australian Medical Association weighed into the debate last week calling for West Australians with health illness related to passive smoking in pubs and nightclubs to contact it.
SMOKE FREE
- Clancy’s Fish Pub, Applecross
- Clancy’s Fish Pub, Fremantle
- Earl of Spencer, Albany
- Holiday Inn, Perth
- Little Creatures, Fremantle
- Must Wine Bar, Highgate