Ashoka Johnstone Reaps The Benefits Of No Smoking Policy
Nine months after introducing a no smoking policy, the benefits to the Ashoka Johnstone restaurant are apparent in its trading figures for the first quarter of 2005. The restaurant has posted figures which reveal significant growth over the previous year's accounts.
The no smoking policy was introduced by restaurateur, Cook Gill, prior to the Scottish Executive's recent controversial decision to introduce a complete ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces.
Mr Gill said, 'The restaurant has gone from strength to strength since we introduced our no smoking policy. We have always been a family restaurant, but we now have many more families with children coming in for a meal than before we introduced our no smoking policy. And almost all of our regular customers, who had smoked previously, still come to our restaurant. |
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'I believe that smoking in restaurants and smoking in pubs are two entirely different matters. In my view, if you go out for a meal, then it should be in a smoke-free environment - and I say that as a smoker. I always light up if I'm going out for a pint in a pub, but will always ask for a non-smoking table if I'm taking my family out to a restaurant for a meal.'
At present, the Ashoka Johnstone and the Ashoka Linwood are the only restaurants in Renfrewshire with a no smoking policy. The Scottish Executive voted to introduce a complete ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces, which will come into force in March 2006.
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