RIP The Quiet Cigar In A British Pub

[Robusto]

I know we've had the smoking ban in pubs since August 2007, but the restriction is beginning to weigh on me.

I'm essentially sympathetic to the reasons it was introduced, but wish there had been some compromise to allow 50/50 smoking/non-smoking facilities in pubs.

I know for a fact that many pubs are facing losses or closing because many of them are stopping live music on their premises as there are fewer punters.

I'm feeling the ban acutely at the moment. Although I can escape the house (and not pong it out) by having a quiet time in my garden cabin (aka my wife's art studio), I miss the conviviality of pub surroundings.

I used pubs for cigar smoking rather than for drinking.


http://www.ukcigarforums.com/picture.php?albumid=7&pictureid=38



In my corner of Kent, there are many many quaint and quiet country pubs where every now and then I was able to spend an hour or two away from the family in the evening enjoying a good Havana. I know pubs with low ceilings, roaring fires, ticking clocks and nuzzling dogs where I could sit and relax, unwind, read, talk to people. It was a civilized and gentlemanly way to recharge.

Wherever I have smoked, I have adored filling a room with my cigar smoke. There was something mesmerising about seeing the smoke fog itself around light fixtures, and then suddenly pull back in a cloud of retreat when somebody walked in or out of the pub door.

I miss the conversations I have had with folk in pubs. About cigars to start with, then on to just about anything. I've made some longtime friends in civilised pubs. (Please note the 'civilised'. I always stay well clear of the chavvy boozers).

Cigars are a passport to relaxation and dreams.

Now that pubs are banned, my smoking has folded in on me. I have to use the car. I have to leave the house.

I've worked out if I lived alone, I would smoke away here in my front room. With the family, I don't want them to carry the taint of my smoking on their clothing to college or to their jobs.

Now I'm sitting here wondering whether to buy a patio heater. It's the early dark nights that raise a sense of bedtime at six - and I hate it!

I don't know. I guess I'm mourning the pub cigar smokes I used to slip out for.

The closest pub is five minutes on foot from my front door. I've had great times in there - mostly on my own because I love solitude - but now I never step foot in the place and it's sad.

Is anyone else in mourning for their cigar smokes in pubs?

[Willie1]

It's a complete disgrace and the smoking ban is the reason why I don't bother going out to any pubs at all anymore, I'd much rather be able to enjoy a glass of lemonade or a coffee and a good cigar at home if I wish to, than to go to a pub and not be able to relax and unwind the way I can at home, but at the same time, it's very easy to get fed up of being in the house all the time :)

Willie :41:

[linfield100]

I know what you mean.
I gave up smoking cigarettes over 20 years ago, but on holiday in Spain a couple of months ago I rediscovered the joy of cigars.
Every evening I would sit at any one of the many seafront bars enjoying a drink and a cigar.
I'm going to continue this when I get back home I thought. The first shock was the cost. Cigars are 2 to 4 times the cost back here in dear old rip off blighty.
Then I realised I had no where to smoke them in comfort.
In the summer (and even that's a laugh) I can sit in the garden with a glass of something and enjoy my rediscovered pleasure.
But the winter makes it impossible, I have to go in the garage and find something to do for half an hour or so, freezing in the process.
I'm thinking of retiring to Spain in a few years to enjoy the simple things in life, sunshine,wine,cigars and a cheaper way of life.

What a ridiculous country this has become.

Tony

[Robusto]

Hello Tony.

Welcome.

I've been told Spain is a great country for cigars. Indeed that Spain is the number one consumer of cigars in Europe.

Well whilst we all contemplate switching on the gas oven and ending it all, at least this is a good place to gather and think about our past smoky love moments!

It's miserable going outdoors with our beauties... :(

[Wildwood]

Given the weather/dark/cold I've not had a cigar for weeks...and suspect unless I get lucky, that will be it until the better weather comes...only another 5 months in my part of the world!

If pubs and other public places had some sort of compromise situation going on, then this would not be the case.

So don't have a lot to post about cigar-wise at the moment. I'm still reading the threads though...

Wildwood

[Drewmidorn]

The beauty of living alone. lol

When my main squeeze is over she puts up with it...when I go to hers i don't smoke. Seems like a fair deal to me!

[Willie1]

I often find myself wondering why no-one has though about opening a bar in the UK that is also a cigar store? :)

I would've thought that a cigar store is exempt from the smoking ban because customers are entitled to sample the cigar(s) that they are looking to buy, (I'm not sure if this is the case) whilst being able to have a few drinks and enjoy some good conversation with fellow stogie men and women, whilst sampling a stogie or 2 :)

Willie :smoke:

[Drewmidorn]

i think the problem is willie that to qualify as a cigar store/specialist tobacconist there has to be a particular percentage of the income made from tobacco... if you sold alcohol too that percentage can't be reached (i think its 80%)... the casa del habano (and many others) was like this but once the law changed they were scuppered.

[Robusto]

My missus is off to London for a residential course for a week at the start of December.

This house will be MY house... :smoke::smoke::smoke:

[Robusto]

:biggrin1::biggrin1::biggrin1:

[Dean]

i think the problem is willie that to qualify as a cigar store/specialist tobacconist there has to be a particular percentage of the income made from tobacco... if you sold alcohol too that percentage can't be reached (i think its 80%)... the casa del habano (and many others) was like this but once the law changed they were scuppered.

Department of Health states, 'If a business's trade is more than 50 per cent cigar and tobacco goods, they can have an area where smoking is permitted, though cigarettes are not allowed'

but currently on 29 premises in th uk have this licence

[Willie1]

Hmm, it certainly would be smoke for thought, but then again, another question is, for a cigar retailer to have a smoking area equiped with a small bar, would it be worth while for a specialist cigar retailer to consider this an option to bring in extra profit?... Especially since there may not be that many people that would come into the shop to buy cigars on a regular basis, and so the question of whether this would help to boost cigar sales or not, is another question altogether.

Perhaps if the cigar retailers were able to add a small bar, where it offers a range of both alcoholic/non-alcoholic or hot & cold beverages, then this could be benifitial to both cigar retailers and cigar smokers alike, providing the prices for any beverages are low enough where the retailer can make a fairly decent profit from beverage sales at the bar, but still keeping the larger portion of the profit being made from the sale of cigars and tobacco products :)

I think that it's something that could work, but it would be difficult to find the right balance for it to work on a long term basis, particularly with the high cost of living and the cost of utility bills, etc, and so it may be something that is somewhat out of reach with the current economical climate :)

What are your thoughts on this? :)

Willie :smoke:

[cohibaIV]

Department of Health states, 'If a business's trade is more than 50 per cent cigar and tobacco goods, they can have an area where smoking is permitted, though cigarettes are not allowed'

but currently on 29 premises in th uk have this licence

Hmmm How do we find where these 29 premises are??

[Willie1]

I was wondering the same thing :) lol

I imagine all the 29 premisis are either in England, Scotland or Wales :), Northern Ireland always seems to be left behind for some odd reason or another :) lol

Willie :smoke:

[Robusto]

25 or so are bound to be in London!

[Willie1]

more than likely :) lol

Willie :smoke:

[Robusto]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7742539.stm

[james]

really good place in the middle of the west end, next to a cuban bar. The armchairs look out on to the middle of a busy street, quite funny peoples faces as you sit in clouds of smoke. Anyone going there worth a vist really big selection of cigars

[james]

off there on friday in fact

[Robusto]

What's the place called, James?
Did I miss that?

[james]

its the placee in wardour street , i think someone mentioned it earlier do not know if you realise put you can still smoke there, they got around the rules. They have sectioned off part of the bar, you can eat smoke in comfort in there in then go though the door for a drink, then back again... not sure how long they going to get away with it

[james]

sorry not eat...that would be pushing it

[Drewmidorn]

I think James is referring to the Casa Del Habano which is next to Floridita and over the road from Hammer House.

[james]

Yeah thats the one, sorry had over indulged when i was there, anyway the point was you can still smoke there

[Drewmidorn]

I think I'll be there for a few afternoons in December as I'm working in the big smoke quite a bit that month.

[Robusto]

Is this smoking area actually an outdoor area with clever high hedges and heaters rather than an indoor room?

[Drewmidorn]

The smoking area is actually inside...its basically a cigar shop so you can "sample" cigars. It is joined to the bar by a corridor, but they now have to keep that locked and send you out into the street to go into the bar. however I don't think they let you take drinks out and back in. Nice place to smoke, with about four comfy chairs and a fairly good walk in humidor. Jonathan Ross has a humidor cabinet there apparently.... so you might need to watch out for someone accusing your granddaughter of all sorts of naughtiness. lol

[cohibaIV]

This is what we need!!!!

http://link.brightcove.com/services/link/bcpid3706353001/bctid3727488001

[Mr Moore]

just read the start of your thread, your spot on robusto, its sad.

[Robusto]

Yup, Sir.
Still feeling in mourning for it in a way. :(

[cj121]

The ban has been implemented without even a smidge of creativity...blanket, blanket, blanket. Earlier comments on segregation would seem sensible, but as we know, take an effort on people's part to accommodate. No doubt today's blame compensation culture plays it's part. With the passive smoking debate coming down on the safe side of health, there was probably little room for licensees to manouvre. Dunno, just a thought.