Cigarettes and alcohol

But that’s all changed. Research from Taylor Nelson Sofres reveals that from a survey of 754 people, 59% said that a smoky atmosphere in pubs was a problem for them.

However, in the same survey, only 12% thought the solution was to ban smokers altogether. Instead, 67% of people said that pubs should install better ventilation systems.

Politicians, of course, love statistics. And these figures did not go unnoticed in the corridors of power. So it was, that the Government has backed a new Charter on smoking which was produced by a group of associations serving the pub and restaurant industry.

Under this charter, venue managers are required to formalise the smoking policy of the venue and to display relevant smoking policy signs near the customer entrance.

Moreover, it is recommended that signs that indicate superior ventilation should be used, although the technical definition of what this actually means in relation to the rate of air change, is under development with reference to CIBSE standards.

What is clear, though, is a requirement for a minimum supply of outside air to the outlet with additional mechanical ventilation or filtration, to suit the particular requirements of the premises.

This spells good news for electrical contractors, whether they smoke or not. Satistics taken from the Atmosphere Improves Air (AIR) initiative show that cleaner air means more sales in licenced premises. In case-studies carried out, from an average spend of £2323 on air purifying measures the following results were gleaned:

• average increase in drinks sales – 12%;

• age increase in food sales – 32%;

• average increase in sales/week – £404;

• average increase in profit/week – £218;

• average time to recoup costs – 10·7 weeks.

Contractors must exploit this opportunity. A little groundwork by the educated contractor – informing the licencee of the benefits of cleaner air – may well produce dividends as landlords clamour for them to design and install new ventilation and air filtering equipment.

The design and installation of cleaner air measures within a pub or restaurant usually follows four steps.

Firstly, assess the ventilation and air cleaning requirements – a minimum of eight litres per person per second of outside air is required (28·8 m³/hr). Increase it to above this level if possible. Find out the premises’ maximum capacity and inspect the layout. If a pub/restaurant has a complex layout with, say, booths or low beams, more smaller extract units are preferable to one large unit. Do the initial calculations to find the ventilation requirement (see figure 1). The premises owner/manager should reckon to spend between £10-20 per head on ventilation equipment.

Next, discuss with the owner/manager any requirements for non-smoking areas. These should never be positioned next to an extract fan position, as this could pull smoke into the area. Seated areas are usually earmarked for non-smoking zones. Discuss the size of the non-smoking area and allow in the calculations for increased smoking in other areas.

Plan out the position of extract units around the premises, taking care to account for the non-smoking area and areas of increased activity where smokers may congregate, ie at the bar. Position extract units accordingly, directly above the bar on the customer side.

When installing the equipment it should be borne in mind that during many retrofits the premises may well be opening during working hours. Customer safety during the installation is paramount. Ensure that the work area is not accessible to the general public, especially those imbibing of the amber nectar. Finally, ensure that the owner/manager and all staff know how to use the ventilation equipment to its full potential and provide signage for non-smoking areas, if required.

Simon Seabourne, landlord at The Lord Morpeth in Bow, London has invested in a new ventilation system. He reveals the results: “I knew I had a problem with smoke right from the word go. There is a football team that comes in here every week without fail. I know for a fact that they only stay for one drink because of the smoke. If I could only get them to stay for a couple of extra pints, it would pay for the cost of any improvements.”

Anyone on the point of tearful ejaculations at this sad tale, can take heart. It has a happy (if somewhat predictable) ending. A new air cleaner was mounted over the bar on the customer side and worked in conjunction with two existing, well maintained 12” reversible extract fans to pull smoke away from customers and staff.

Grin and tonics all round at the Lord Morpeth. Landlord Simon concludes: “Regulars are much happier and we’ve got different people coming in, especially non-smokers.”

The impact that cleaner air can have on profit enhancement can be considerable. Electrical contractors can influence this and could do well to take note and make sure that a large slice of the profit lands in their pockets.