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News

Giving Customers 'Breathing Space'

Breathing Space is a new joint initiative which aims to ensure that people can go to a pub in Poole and enjoy a drink untroubled by cigarette smoke.

The project was originally formulated and planned by the Borough of Poole in conjunction with Wessex Ash - Action on Smoking and Health and later, Healthworks - Dorset’s Health Promotion Agency became a major partner. The scheme is also sponsored by the Dolphin Shopping Centre in Poole which operates a non-smoking policy.

In 1996, the Borough of Poole and Healthworks commissioned Bristol University to research public attitudes into smoking in pubs. The sample was based on Poole’s residents and results showed that 82% of interviewees (smokers and non-smokers) would prefer pubs to offer designated smoke-free areas while 87% agreed that non-smokers should be able to breathe smoke-free air in pubs if that was their wish. The findings also showed that the pubs would be frequented more if smoke-free areas were provided.

David Wilkins - Healthworks Health Promotion Co-ordinator (Poole) said: "Smoking is a personal decision and it’s an individual’s right to make that choice. However, non-smokers in Poole outnumber smokers by more than two to one and indeed nationally the majority of people are non-smokers".

Charles Macmillan, Borough of Poole Environmental Health Officer added: "Breathing Space is about giving customers a choice. Publicans are encouraged to provide smokers and non-smokers with areas so that both groups can further enjoy the ambience of the pub without one affecting the other. It is not about making pubs totally smoke-free".

The response so far has been encouraging and the first pubs to sign up to the scheme in Poole include: The Kings Head - High Street, The Portsmouth Hoy - Poole Quay, The Hogshead - High Street and The Hogshead - Ashley Road.

In August this year, the Mayor of Poole, Councillor Graham Curtis, presented the landlords and ladies of these pubs with a certificate to help promote their non-smoking bar areas.

The Breathing Space Partnership will continue to develop creative ideas and incentives to encourage local Publicans to join the scheme. Present support to improve awareness of the campaign includes: logos to display in windows, a series of competitions in the local press, distribution of promotional leaflets and next year the campaign and participating pubs will also be featured in Poole’s Tourist Guide.

Charles Macmillan, Consumer Protection Services (01202) 261785