Smoking ban hits pub takings
Wayne Rishton is one of an increasing number of landlords across the country who fears he may soon be calling time for good.
A combination of factors including cut price alcohol on offer from supermarkets and the smoking ban have seen Friday night takings at the Lamb and Packet in Friargate drop by around by around 50%.
Wayne is one of a handful of landlords in Preston with limited outside space and he says the tiny smoking yard attached to his pub cannot compete with upmarket smoking areas in nearby pubs such as The Guild and The Adelphi.
He says: "The smoking ban has been terrible for business.
"The potential we have here is phenomenal if the brewery would spend the money. You have to move with the times."
His brewery Thwaites have kitted Wayne out with a perspex smoking shelter which partially covers his yard, but Wayne claims he now has to pay an additional 1,000 a year for it.
The smoking area accommodates around eight smokers and many of his customers choose to step outside to smoke on the street.
But Wayne says a crackdown on street drinking has forced drinkers who smoke outside his pub to leave their beer and move on as the police and council attempt to clamp down on disorder in the city.
He says: "It is supposed to be a no-drinking zone around here so when I have 25 or 30 lads out here in the summer the police come and move them on."
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Weather for Preston
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 14 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 13 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
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Wind direction: East
