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Darling: Smoking ban is closing pubs
Chancellor Alistair Darling has admitted the smoking ban is forcing pubs out of business – and immediately come under fire from Preston landlords.
This year alone, 27 pubs in the city have closed, and licensees blame not only the "disastrous" ban, but also the high duty levied by the Government on alcohol.
Mr Darling told journalists at Westminster "there is no doubt the smoking ban made a difference" in killing off boozers after the British Beer and Pub Association told MPs the number of failing pubs is now "accelerating rapidly."
The BBPA estimates pubs are now closing at a rate of 27 a week.
Graham Rowson, who recently took over the Plungington Hotel in Lytham Road, Fulwood, said: "The smoking ban has been absolutely disastrous for some pubs. Some have closed directly as an outcome of the ban.
"The Government is only accepting something it already knew but wouldn't accept before – it's a bit of a cheek."
Ronnie Fitzpatrick, who runs the Dog and Partridge in Friargate, is also the chairman of Preston's Licensed Victuallers Association.
He said: "The ban must be destroying any pubs without smoking shelters. It has affected trade during the day especially in the winter months.
"The Government brought the laws in and are perhaps realising the impact of them. They are certainly not getting as much tax through the supermarket sales as from the pubs.
"The so-called 2.5% cut in VAT has happened alongside an 8% rise in alcohol tax so it's not going to have an impact."
Mr Darling told journalists: "There is no doubt the smoking ban has made a difference.There is whole range of things that are making a difference."
Ministers have been reluctant to admit that the ban on smoking in public places nearly 18 months ago has damaged pubs.
The Chancellor joked that he is banned from most pubs in Britain after hiking up alcohol duty twice this year.
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Weather for Preston
Saturday 04 February 2012
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