29th March 2004, a day which for some reason, few saw coming, however which in hindsight seems like the most obvious and natural of progression in an ‘enlightened’ society. It was of course the introduction of the smoking ban in the Republic of Ireland. In European and indeed World terms, RoI was quick off the mark and this signalled a sign of things to come. Being from Northern Ireland it didn’t immediately affect me (not to mention the fact that I was only 14 at the time) but it did come into effect on 30th April 2007.
I may not have been old enough to be out partying to fully understand what it meant back in 2004 when the ban was brought into effect in RoI, however I do vividly remember the debates the ban brought about. Would the smoking ban ruin the clubbing experience? Forcing every smoker to leave the dance floor and stand outside in the unreliable Irish weather, often unsheltered, in order to get a smoke. Or was this just tough luck for smokers, who for far too long had been free to smoke all night in over crowed and under ventilated clubs.
The truth, as with nearly all arguments of right and wrong; lies somewhere in the middle of the two. This is not where the problem lies. Of course non-smokers should be free to go clubbing in smoke-free environments, but with smokers leaving every 30minutes to go and get a cigarette the atmosphere within the club suffers greatly and as a consequence, something is lost that cannot be resolved easily.
The answer lies with the forward thinking Republic of Ireland. Just like they were proactive with the smoking ban, they were proactive with finding solutions to the backlash of the smoking ban. Instead of bemoaning laws which aren’t going to be changed, and in reality are a positive thing, they looked to operate within the realms of the law, while in parallel trying to make the clubbing experience as enjoyable as possible.
The result has been triumphant. Shortt’s Bar immediately springs to mind in Waterford. A fully integrated “outdoor” smoking area which offers clubbers the chance to smoke, dance, drink and party without having to as much as leave the room. Smoking areas don’t have to be exposed to the elements. They don’t have to be on the sides of streets or down back alleys. If thought out properly they can add to your clubbing experience and not take away from it.
This may seem obvious, but it clearly isn’t obvious enough to some club and pub owners in the UK and Ireland. Surely now though, in a time when they are struggling to get ‘bums on seats’ it is time to make a change. To finally realise that customer is in fact king and sometimes that a little outlay is necessary for a little in return.
I won’t hold my breath for it but surely, someone has to do something to spice up the nightlife in Northern Ireland and in particular Derry where this fact is more evident than anywhere.
Until at least 2025, when the Republic of Ireland propose bringing in a public smoking ban. In which case, we’re fucked.
