About people smoking in beer gardens?

[Shellym13]

I know I am being U but we just got back from a lovely weekend away. Weather was fantastic and we loved sitting outside to eat and chat in the sun.
I was so annoyed with the amount of smokers using the beer garden as a smokers den. All my family smokes but I am quite sensitive to the smell! I hate walking through the crowds gathered at the door but when you're trying to eat and everyone is smoking or rather lighting cigarettes and leaving them burning away in ashtrays, it was awful.
Is it just me or would separate outdoor areas be a good idea, the smell just makes me heave! Just because you are outside doesn't mean the smoke doesn't blow in your face. if a place e is serving food should it not be separated.
Apologies to smokers I know we all have to live together, I'm not really sure what the solution is.

Sorry, no. I think the outside is the outside, much as I hate the smell. The health implications are not the same.

You can eat indoors. Crazy idea I know

I agree with you, OP.

The backlash of the smoking ban. OK on a windy day ( move upwind) but on a still hot day pub gardens are now a no go.

There is talk of banning smoking in beer gardens in London specifically i read on some news the other day. Once it starts there i think it will spread. I dont smoke and have never been bothered by the smoke but it makes me feel awkward now i have my DD so I'd rather the areas were split or ban it altogether.

It was particularly bad on Friday, think you are right it was roasting and very calm. Nowhere for the smoke to be blown. As I said I might be more sensitive to the smell but we did move inside eventually. I'd never tell anyone not to smoke I was just looking for a solution for both parties.

Its shit, innit.

I hate being forced indoors by the pesky smokers.

I'm so glad there is a smoking ban indoors, it used to be awful going in pubs or restaurants before. However, I do wonder now that the smokers have moved outside, is that now worse for the kids who used to play outside, or sit with their families in beer gardens.

Maybe the solution would be to ban cigarettes and decriminalise a less unpleasant smelling drug.

Sorry but no. They're already banned from inside (thankfully) but if you then ban them from beer gardens they'll just go elsewhere and the pub will lose business.

Yay summer has arrived at last

Smoking was banned indoors because of health concerns of shs in enclosed spaces. All the non-smokers said they'd frequent pubs far more often once people couldn't smoke in them, but they didn't and now there are hardly any pubs left.

Now, non-smokers seem to turn up about twice a year when the sun comes out to sit in the garden with their DC and moan about the smokers (pubs' core remaining customer base).

Outdoor smoke is really not a health risk so it's up to individual businesses if they want to provide outdoor no smoking areas. Most wetherspoons do

The pub nearest us does have notices up asking people not to smoke in the beer garden. You still get inconsiderate wankers who ignore it. There's a separate smoking area with ashtrays, but the idea is that you don't smoke where people are eating.

I think separate areas would be good...I was in an outside area of a champagne bar on Friday night (drinking lime and soda as I'm pregnant) and they've cordoned off a small area to the side for smoking. It's much more pleasant for everyone else.
I wouldn't be able to eat outside if someone next to me was smoking, it makes me heave, it wouldn't be the smokers fault as it's allowed so a separate area would be best.

Yeah, I was wondering if the pubs/restaurants could maybe separate the areas up then you could choose where to sit. That way if there was a mixed group they can all sit together too

I love going to the pub so it's not a rare occurrence for me but in Scotland you don't get much opportunity to sit outside. Would just be nice if everyone could enjoy it together esp if you are eating.

All the non-smokers said they'd frequent pubs far more often once people couldn't smoke in them, but they didn't and now there are hardly any pubs left.

How do you know they didn't? The drop in numbers could be the smokers leaving because they couldn't smoke there anymore.

I'm an ex smoker and I really hate the smell of smoke now yep I'm one of "them" now , but where exactly are smokers meant to go?

Really? There are more pubs than ever in my area and new ones opening regularly. A lot of them do great food which is definitely enticing more people in.

A lot of pubs round here spent a good whack improving their beer gardens when the smoking ban came in - setting up lights and heaters so they could be used during the winter in a bid to make going the pub more attractive for smokers, so I can't see them banning smoking I'm beer gardens any time soon of their own violation.

Some of the bigger ones do have a separate eating area where smoking is not allowed. Tbh I'm a smoker but wouldn't want someone smoking nearby whilst I was eating - but am not a fan of eating outside anyway.

The thing is, you can not agree with or like smoking, but if pubs squash smokers into a tiny little smoking area where they can't eat if they wanted to, then they will lose custom.
And before anyone says anything, if they let smokers eat in the smoking area, on days when the pub is full non-smokers will then complain that they can't sit and enjoy a meal because smokers are taking up tables.
Smoking and drinking go very well together. If you piss of the smokers you will lose business.

Also, what do you do abroad? Smoking is still very socially acceptable in most European countries.

Honestly, in a country with a pretty huge drinking problem, is it really such a bad thing if a few smokers' pubs close?

@LRDtheFeministDragon well it is a bad thing for those who work there and the industry itself

Dunno. I drank less as a regular pub goer than I do drinking at home, tbf.

Lots of pubs have shut, I don't think it's made much difference in alcohol consumption - people just drink at home instead.

It's tough to he honest. What you call the beer garden is actually the smoking area.

In parts of Australia, pubs have to ban smoking indoors and outdoors, but they can offer a small fenced off section of the beer garden to smokers - no food, drinks or entertainment are allowed in the smoking section. Restaurants with outdoor eating areas cannot allow smoking at all.