The ban on smoking in public places in Ireland has cost the country’s pubs £80m (117m euros) in lost revenue during the first seven months of the ban’s having been enforced, according to a report from the Centre for Economics and Business Research (CEBR).

In the same period – April to October 2004 – a total of 7.3 per cent of turnover was lost by pubs, bars and nightclubs. The report was compiled following analysis of Irish government data released since the ban was introduced on 29 March 2004.

The volume of trade in bars, nightclubs and pubs was 10.7 per cent lower because of the ban while, during the first five months – the longest period for which official data was available – employment in the Irish hospitality sector decreased by 5.9 per cent.

The research was commissioned by Against an Outright Ban in Scotland, representing the Scottish licensed trade and brewers industries.

The results appear consistent with other research recently conducted by the consultancy which calculated that 2,300 jobs could be lost in Scotland if the smoking ban there had the same effects as in Ireland.

Meanwhile, in November 2004, the company also concluded that British licensed premises could witness a 7.6 per cent fall in business from their existing customers if anti-smoking legislation was enforced.

Managing economist at CEBR and one of the report’s authors, Dominic Walley, said: “Our research shows that smoking bans can seriously damage the health of the pub and restaurant sector.

“The initial evidence from Ireland is clear: smoke-free pubs and restaurants have fewer customers and lower revenues.” Details: www.cebr.co.uk