Protest and survive
Trudie writes: Could Forest not organsise a boycott by smokers of all pubs, clubs etc when the ban comes in, to see how businesses fare when we are all sat at home counting the piles of money we've saved by not going to the pub? Perhaps with the collapse of this part of the economy,the government would have to rethink their ban. After all, it worked in Florida when businesses went to the wall through having no customers. They reversed their policy so it now suits everyone, smoker and non smoker alike. We need people power on mass. Action not words.
posted by Simon Clark @ 23:03
10 comments
10 Comments:
Hi Glaucon - I see your point, but at the end of the day, although most independent pub owners did not agree with the ban, the brewerys seemed to and, unfortunately in order to get to the 'big boys' sometimes the 'little fish' have to suffer. Perhaps, you could come to some compromise and only visit privately owned pubs where the owner supported the smoker and not the ban.
I have also noted from some of the antis how they will apparently miss their smoking buddies in the pubs and clubs. One argument against a partial ban from one anti was that he would be dragged into the smoking area to chat to his mates! Pathetic, I know, but on that basis the boycott should hit home fairly quickly as those who wanted the ban don't seem to want to socialise without us smokers!
Just for a change, the government have been fairly canny on this insofar as they intend to implement the ban in the summer months when, of course, it will not be so onerous for smokers to step outside. Just wait until the winter.
If a boycott goes ahead, and my husband and I have already said we will not be going out once the ban comes in, then it needs to happen right from the start of the ban - it's no good waiting until the winter.
On the upside, look at the money you could save if you had friends round to your home. For far less than what you would spend at the pub you could all have a jolly good drink and a barbecue or takeaway and far more fun.
Anyway, you have to go with your conscience and what you are comfortable with. Good luck
PS: There could be more joining the ranks as some of my ex smoking friends have said they are very likely to start smoking again, just because of the ban! They have no intention of letting the government dictate to them, that is why the ban is encouraging them to start again. Good eh?
I'm a New Yorker smoker and I have been boycotting NYC bars and restaurants for years now and I tell anyone who asks the exact reasons why I'm boycotting....those businesses don't want me there!! Why should I patronize a business that doesn't want me? (yes, I have been to restaurants on occasion since the ban, but I still refuse to step foot in a pub.)
I'll tell ya what I do. Since myself and all my friends are married with kids anyway and working to make ends meet, we typically have house parties/dinner parties about once every month or two. Anyone can smoke whatever they choose. It works for smokers and non-smokers alike and no one complains. Our social needs are fulfilled.
May all the bars and restaurants go out of business for all I care!! They did NOTHING to defend their private property from Fascist politicians. I do notice business is definitely down in NYC. Down, but not completely dead....that is, unless I can get more people to boycott them!!
I have taken the view that it is pointless waiting for the smoking ban to kick in next summer. I have already started my own boycott NOW.
There are obviously pub owners who did not agree with the ban proposals, but it seems that the only effective weapon is economic and loss of business.
At the end of the day, it will take a change of politicians at the next General Election to bring some sanity back to this once great and tolerant country - I hope you use your vote wisely next time. Local elections soon for your protest vote in April/ May!!!
Great idea Claire, anybody making badges or wristbands we could sell, Just in case Forest could find a good lawyer, so at least the lies from the ASH campaign could be seen for what they are. We could wear them on our anti-propaganda day out. Sure the british legion would love a march. All the bingo players and clubs who give lonely people and others somewhere for a chit chat.
Well done to you all. We are staying home now too, not that we used to go to pubs much because neither of us really drink. We did, however, used to go into our little local town on a Saturday and have a coffee and possibly a teacake or a snack. We no longer do this and as we miss the very nice coffee we are looking at getting our own good coffee maker, Tasimo perhaps, to treat ourselves at the weekend. We will save money in the long run too.
We will still probably go to our local Indian restaurant each week until the ban takes effect, mainly because the staff there are friends and they were against the ban from the start. Had it been a partial ban then they had intended to make it into an Eating Club to get around it, or to convert the upstairs into a club of some sort. You see,they were already making plans.
I think you are all right too, the only way to make our feelings known now are with our feet and avoid, as much as possible, all the places and particularly the big businesses, that failed to support our right to smoke. It's even better news that some seem to be missing the smokers already. Lets do our utmost to keep it up and hope more join us.
I also have friends who have given up smoking, some of whom now are very probably going to start again and others who will boycott pubs, clubs, etc in support of basic human rights.
Any stickers for sale we could put in the window of our cars to let people know about the FOREST site, lots of large carparks around. If the media is not interested in giving Forest the same publicity as ASH then maybe we could all help with it, stick some in the tobacconist,pubs and clubs, who did not want this ban. Surely they would not mind us letting smokers know this site exists. If there was a march of some kind and least they would feel they have a voice, might be worth a shot.
Actually this idea is a very good one, however I would suggest a limited ban ie say one day a week be organised now. That way the pub retail trade would soon be able to calculate thier losses and projected losses into hard figures and that would bring some serious lobbying from them pretty quickly.
Sorry but I can't agree, although there appeared little action by the major players in the pub trade, most publicans DO NOT want to loose there business and voluntarily boycotting pubs smacks to much like ASH 5th columnists to me.
If you do succeed in getting the law repealed and you start visiting pubs again, where will you go? once a pub has closed down it is very unlikely it will be reopened.
Yours.
Pete.
I agree, the only way to fight this ban is to boycott pubs etc. I personally will not be reduced to standing outside a pub to have a ciggie and made to feel as if I am a criminal for doing something which is perfectly legal especially in the winter. When pubs start closing and the tills arnt rattling people will take notice. Nico
I suspect the Government would not mind the disappearance of pubs as they are natural centres of free speech and sturdy independence from officialdom.
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