Working men's clubs mixed on smoke ban
Working men's clubs have reported mixed effects since smoking was banned in public places.
Clubs, along with pubs and nightclubs, were one of the places hit by the ban, which became law in July.
Brian Binley, who is the Conservative MP for Northampton South, is speaking to Parliamentary colleagues about the ban in such clubs.
He said: "I believe that people want to be able to have freedom of choice in a private club."
Roy Howe, of Cogenhoe Working Men's Club, said: "We've noticed no effect at all. We've got a nice little area out the back for smokers.
"The ban doesn't seem to have affected trade at all."
Mr Howe said if the law was changed to allow smoking in private members' clubs, "we'd have to put it to the members because they are the ones that are going to suffer if they don't want it".
Steve Cohen, steward at the Conservative Club in Billing Road, said the ban had hit the club's functions.
He said: "We've not especially noticed it because it's mostly the older generation who use the club and there's not many smokers.
"It's affected the functions we have but all in all it's not really affected us. It's what we expected.
"We just have the problems at the weekend when we have a lot of smokers in the functions because we haven't really got anywhere for them.
"I'd welcome an amendment definitely."
But other clubs said the ban had hit their trade.
Rhys Watkins, manager at Moulton Working Men's Club, said: "We have noticed an impact. Business has gone down.
"We haven't got a smoking shelter. We haven't got a licence to drink outdoors, but people shelter in the entrance.
"Not many members like to come down because they can't have a fag at the same time.
"We'd welcome an amendment so people can smoke inside private members' clubs again."
Martin Clark, of Cripps Recreation Social Club, said smoking was banned at the club before July.
He said: "We have seen an effect but we're slightly different because we're in the grounds of the hospital and that meant it was banned way before July.
"It's affected business, we've lost between 10 and 15 per cent in revenue due to the smoking ban."
He said the possibility of allowing smoking inside the club would be "a difficult one" because of the club's location and users.
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Wednesday 08 February 2012
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