Pubs that ban smoking, business is booming.

[Madhatter]

ENGLISH pubs that have already banned smoking have seen their profits rise by an average of 50 per cent, a survey by The Times has found.

There had been fears that bans would drive away customers, but instead food sales in non-smoking pubs have risen by 80 per cent on average.

Terry Shears, owner of The Gate Inn in Atherstone, Warwickshire, said: “We’ve gone from selling four to eight meals a night up to 90 meals a night. Sales have rocketed and it’s a cleaner and nicer place to be. I’d recommend the change to anyone.”

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[dave.s]

From what I have read though it means the type of customers that by food don't buy any drinks or just the 1. Apparently they don't make much money on food but make good profit margins on drinks. So they need tons more customers to get the same amount of profit. Could be wrong but i'm sure I read that somewhere.

I'm for the ban though but obviously my opinion would probably be different if I was a smoker. Went to a stag do in Edingurgh jsut after the smoking ban had been brought in there. Was great coming back home and not stinking of smoke and being able to taste it still the next day.

[Madhatter]

I don't buy drinks if I'm going for a meal, just the one I get when ordering it. It's very rare I get another.
Not sure on profit on food, think it depends on what it is but some are a low profit margin.
Profit on tea and soft drinks are good, not that much on draft lagers and beers. a few pence that all costs have to be taken out of.
The upshot is that unless you have a really busy pub all week then it won't make much.
The owner has to be constantly on top of things.

It's not just beer and food though, if you sell real ale it has to be consumed within days, not possible if the pub is quiet in the week. A music licence is needed to play music, a entertainments licence is required for bands, (which needs all sorts of things disabled access, toilets, fire exits, alarms etc etc) gaming machine licences, which again if they don't get used loses money.
The British pub as we knew it is dead Dave, the supermarkets and government taxes killed them. The death has been quick for many, others are dying a slow painful death.
Unless they find a way to persuade the great British public to go out and spend instead of staying in with a bottle and take away there's no hope.
All this is of course without the smoking ban.