Some Scottish pubs have seen takings crash by 50% since the smoking ban came into force nearly a fortnight ago, highlighting the potential impact of a ban south of the border.

The leisure industry is watching Scotland’s experience closely for clues but early indications have been mixed. Sophisticated city-style bars with outside space and strong food offerings say takings have risen slightly since the ban while more old-fashioned drink-led pubs appear to have suffered.

The Morning Advertiser pub trade newspaper conducted an informal poll of 25 pubs in Edinburgh and found trade in 10 had fallen since the ban, five saw an increase and a further 10 reported no change.

A manager Edinburgh’s Quarter Gill pub who declined to be named, said takings were down by about 50%. The Quarter Gill does not sell food and is on a street with a narrow pavement.

He said: ‘It’s been a disaster. Customers, especially our older ones, don’t want to stand outside in the cold with all the buses racing past. They’re scared of getting hurt. Many of our customers have been working outside all day. They think: ‘Why should I go to the pub and have to stand outside in the cold?”

There were similar findings across the water in Ireland:

Mark Brumby, leisure analyst at Oriel Securities, predicted a 5% to 7% drop in sales in Scotland in the short term, reducing to zero impact in two years.

In Ireland, which banned smoking two years ago, figures last July showed Dublin bar takings were down 16% after the first year. About 600 pubs have closed since the ban, according to the Vintners Federation of Ireland.

Source: This is Money