Smoking Ban’s Unintended Consequences

Before the UK smoking ban was put in place, its proponents promised pubs would become sweeter smelling when the scents of burning cigarettes were finally banned.

Quite the opposite seems to be happening. The cigarettes were masking a jarring array of stinks such as stale food, sweat and flatulence. With no pall of smoke to hide these odors they are assaulting the nostrils of weekend pub goers and hurting the pubs’ food sales.

Mitchells & Butlers, which manages 2000 British pubs, is trying some different odor covering aromas such as leather, fresh cut grass and, my favorite, tobacco smoke. Yes, real tobacco has been banned in part because its smell was ruining the pub going experience but now fake tobacco smoke smell may be piped in to save it!