Limerick pub joins 'smoking pub' revolt
A Limerick pub has become the latest pub in Ireland to join the revolt against the Government’s ban on smoking in the workplace.
Customers at Nevada Smiths on Bedford Row in Limerick city centre have been allowed to smoke freely on the premises since Wednesday night, and management have erected posters informing passers-by: “Smokers welcome”.
Leaseholders Liam and Seamus Flannery say they were left with no choice but to allow people to smoke because so many other publicans have “cashed in” since the ban was imposed.
The Limerick brothers say they are aware of pubs in the city where publicans have effectively erected “enclosed smoking rooms” but they claim they do not have the space to follow suit.
“The playing field is not level at the moment as some bars have built smoking rooms and have erected canopies which are essentially enclosed smoking rooms,” said Liam Flannery.
The publicans claim business has dropped in Nevada Smiths by 31% since the ban was introduced on March 29 and as a result, they have had to reduce their staff numbers by almost half.
“I think the law should be respected and upheld but when this law came into effect, certain places were exempt, such as prisons and hotel rooms. If the Minister for Health was serious about protecting people in the workplace, why did he exclude these working areas?” said Liam Flannery.
“We want the law to be applied equally and fairly to all workplaces, not just bars, restaurants and offices. Why is the health of a prison officer less important than the health of a barman?” he added.
Well-known publicans in the Limerick area, the Flannery’s also own Finn’s bar on William Street in the city centre which their father first opened in 1959 as Flannery’s.
“We won’t be allowing people to smoke in Finn’s as we serve food there all day. However, business has become quieter there too but the food side of things is keeping us going,” said Liam.
“Up to now, the ban has been rigorously imposed by Nevada Smiths management and staff, so much so that many of our customers are now socialising in other establishments where the ban is not as rigorously imposed. We know we now run the risk of being fined but we will cross that bridge when we come to it,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Mid-Western Health Board last night confirmed that it is investigating reports of two alleged breaches of the anit-smoking leglisation, one in Limerick city and one in Lorrha in North Tipperary.
