Is it a pubs responsability to provide out side ash trays?

fatfrog

fatfrog

Well-Known Forumite
My partner and I went to The Picture House on Saturday night. He smokes and so was finishing a cigarette before being able to enter. We could not find anywhere for him to dispose of the cigarette end and so asked the staff ( of which there were three of...2 security and one staff) where he could put it. The response was "throw it on the floor" to which I replied "is that not littering and illegal?" response " doesn't matter every one does it and we sweep it up later"

I hate smoking anyway but putting that aside is this right?....I am surprised that some form of ashtrays are not provided.

While I suspect that their is no legal requirement as it is a public highway would it not be good practice?

Just wondered what any one else's thoughts on it were?
 
Mikinton

Mikinton

Well-Known Forumite
fatfrog said:
My partner and I went to The Picture House on Saturday night. He smokes and so was finishing a cigarette before being able to enter. We could not find anywhere for him to dispose of the cigarette end and so asked the staff ( of which there were three of...2 security and one staff) where he could put it. The response was "throw it on the floor" to which I replied "is that not littering and illegal?" response " doesn't matter every one does it and we sweep it up later"

I hate smoking anyway but putting that aside is this right?....I am surprised that some form of ashtrays are not provided.

While I suspect that their is no legal requirement as it is a public highway would it not be good practice?

Just wondered what any one else's thoughts on it were?
Click to expand...
Why stop at pubs? - Why not all shops regardless of whether they server food and drink or not.

Any what about private dwellings as well? If a visitor to my house decides they need a fag and nips out the front for a quick puff, should I be required to provide an ash tray?
 
Andreas Rex

Andreas Rex

Banned for smiling
I've noticed recently that the ashtray on the outside of the train station has disappeared...it used to be a couple of metres to the right of the front door, next to the machine thingy. Very odd, considering the amount of smokers who nip out for a quick smoke whilst waiting for their connection.

Also...as can be seen at my local pub, the provision of ashtrays doesn't stop people flicking fag butts all over the garden/patio! Very lazy and unsightly.
 
Goldilox

Goldilox

How do I edit this?
I stick ashtrays on the tables outside of my place of work every morning, but often come time to sweep up in the evening I don't know why I bother. I've never got my head round how otherwise perfectly respectable people, who wouldn't dream of dropping a crisp packet on the street, think it's acceptable to distribute fag ends on the pavement wherever they go.
 
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andy w

Well-Known Forumite
I would imagine that businesses, public buildings etc are concerned if they position ashtrays then that area is a designated smoking area and smokers congregate by them. The sad aspect of the smoking ban is that it has shunted the smokers on to the pavement and inconvienance more people than when they had designated smoking rooms or to able to smoke in a pub.`
 
S

Sir BoD

Well-Known Forumite
fatfrog said:
My partner and I went to The Picture House on Saturday night. He smokes and so was finishing a cigarette before being able to enter. We could not find anywhere for him to dispose of the cigarette end and so asked the staff ( of which there were three of...2 security and one staff) where he could put it. The response was "throw it on the floor" to which I replied "is that not littering and illegal?" response " doesn't matter every one does it and we sweep it up later"

I hate smoking anyway but putting that aside is this right?....I am surprised that some form of ashtrays are not provided.

While I suspect that their is no legal requirement as it is a public highway would it not be good practice?

Just wondered what any one else's thoughts on it were?
Click to expand...
This may help.
 
monkey bidness

monkey bidness

Well-Known Forumite
Apologies in advance for mentioning Stoke on SF, but I know that, a few years ago they had a very aggressive campaign against fag-end littering in Hanley, with smokers being challenged by patrolling litter wardens immediately when they threw a fag on the ground. They were advised of the law regarding littering and invited to retrieve the offending article. The wardens
also handed out butt-boxes to smokers. This activity, plus well-advertised prosecutions of uncooperative/obstreperous recidivists appeared to have some affect on the incidence of fag littering. Businesses whose activities produced an increased potential for littering (e.g. fast food joints) were also encouraged to do some local litter picking as well as providing litter bins adjacent to their premises.
 
Withnail

Withnail

Well-Known Forumite
monkey bidness said:
The wardens
also handed out butt-boxes to smokers.
Click to expand...

The exact same thing happened here - * if i was approaching anywhere near halfway-arsed to provide evidence, a link-style whatsit would appear here * - 'pocket ashtrays' was the way i remember them being described.

Although i am an idiot, i always put my fag ends in a bin - even when not threatened to do so, and even if it means an out-of-my-way trip to do so.

Though in the clear absence of a nearby bin, i tend to lob them down a drain - is this a bad thing to do? I often worry that some bus-sized conglomeration of cigarette ends will amass and bring the end of sanitation as we know it.
 
monkey bidness

monkey bidness

Well-Known Forumite
Quote: "Although i am an idiot, i always put my fag ends in a bin - even when not threatened to do so, and even if it means an out-of-my-way trip to do so."

Surely not just any old eejit? Perhaps an 'idiot savant'
 
monkey bidness

monkey bidness

Well-Known Forumite
Withnail said:
'Idiot', in this instance, is interchangeable with 'smoker'.
Click to expand...

Ah, yes. I too was once such an idiot. When I crashed through the 50-a-day barrier I finally saw the light & became a pain-in-the-arse anti-smoking evangelist. Fortunately as my taste buds gradually recovered I found a diversion in the world of wine, specifically Red Wine. It has been a constant solace to me ever since.
 
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