Comments on: Counting the days… http://log.illsley.org/2006/12/03/counting-the-days/ There are a limited number of profound statements in this world Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:03:57 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: nick http://log.illsley.org/2006/12/03/counting-the-days/#comment-2028 Wed, 10 Jan 2007 22:47:20 +0000 http://davidillsley.wordpress.com/2006/12/03/counting-the-days/#comment-2028 maybe pubs should be banned on the grounds that drinking alcohol is bad for one’s health and soceity. then everyone can stay at home and sing around the piano

]]> By: Andrew Ferrier http://log.illsley.org/2006/12/03/counting-the-days/#comment-500 Mon, 04 Dec 2006 14:21:13 +0000 http://davidillsley.wordpress.com/2006/12/03/counting-the-days/#comment-500 Hmm, well, in this case, aren’t the two fairly closely linked? If people want smoke-free pubs, those pubs will succeed in the marketplace (an example being the The Old Vine in Winchester, which I now frequent out of preference, and which is normally very popular). I don’t really see a need to victimise those who choose to smoke. Outlawing it seems a pretty harsh solution, even from a nanny state. There are other, gentler, solutions, such as taxing smoking pubs more – which I wouldn’t approve of either, but might achieve the objective you’re looking for without criminalising those who aren’t really doing anything immoral.

I should have explained more clearly – I’m liberal in the old-fashioned sense, not in the ‘Liberal Democrat’ sense. These days, this is normally called libertarian. Telling pub owners what to do with their property isn’t very liberal :)

]]> By: davidillsley http://log.illsley.org/2006/12/03/counting-the-days/#comment-499 Mon, 04 Dec 2006 13:10:45 +0000 http://davidillsley.wordpress.com/2006/12/03/counting-the-days/#comment-499 Indeed. I’m sure it would be bad for business, but what’s good for business isn’t necessarily good for society. I too consider myself to be a liberal but on the balance I think the impact on public health outweighs the civil liberties issue. You can continue to do what you want in places that don’t harm others so I don’t see it as being overbearingly restrictive.

]]> By: Andrew Ferrier http://log.illsley.org/2006/12/03/counting-the-days/#comment-498 Mon, 04 Dec 2006 13:02:47 +0000 http://davidillsley.wordpress.com/2006/12/03/counting-the-days/#comment-498 If the Black Boy wanted to go smoke-free, it could of course already do so. So presumably the owners think I’d be a bad move. Incidentally, one of Winchester’s previously excellent pubs, The Green Man, was non-smoking and has now switched back to allowing it (along with a stupid big screen showing stupid football and a drop in the quality of food). Maybe outlawing smoking in pubs risks not giving pub-goers what they want.

NB: I am not a smoker. I am, however, a liberal (small L).

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