Press releases

The Great English - and now smoke free - pub is set for a new lease of life: 82% of adults are now more likely to go to their smoke free local – and young mums will be those most likely to prop up the bar (98%), according to new community research from Combined Insurance.

At a time of post office and local shop closures, there has been concern over the impact of the smoking ban on the pub trade – with reports that around 56 pubs are closed every month .

The new research from Combined Insurance suggests the smoking ban will bring millions of new customers into UK pubs – reinventing and diversifying the roles they play as the heartbeat of the modern community.

During the final fortnight before the introduction of the smoking ban, Combined Insurance asked a representative sample of 2,000 adults how they would react to the smoking ban coming into effect in their local pub.

• Good news: Across England, 82% of people said they would be more likely to visit their smoke free local. Only 18% said they would go to the pub less often. The increased popularity of the pub was strongest in the Midlands (86%) and South of England (84%).

• Family focus: No longer deterred by the health impact of passive smoking, the pub is set to become a family magnet – 64% of people saying they are now more likely to take their children to a pub for a family meal, 33% more likely to have a family birthday party there – and 9% of respondents claiming they’re more likely to have a wedding there.

• Meeting place: In smoke free England, the role of the pub will go far beyond drinking – 18% of people will attend sports club / social meetings; 18% will hold local business meetings and 8% will use their local for parish council meetings. In addition, pubs are now seen to be more popular venues for book club meetings (5%), for prayer meetings (3%) and 2% of people will even attend a stop-smoking club in their local.

• New friends: The local pub is set to play more of a role in bringing people together. Almost one in three adults (32%) are more likely to spend time getting to know their neighbours in their pub and 4% say the pub is an important place to introduce their dog to other four legged friends. In Wales, 14% of respondents said the smoke-free pub was a great place for their dog to meet up with other canines.

• Traditions maintained: Despite the broadening role of the pub, traditional pub activities are also set to take off as more people re-engage with their local. A brainy 43% of adults are now up for going to a pub quiz night; 16% said they may take up darts and, smoke or no smoke, the local pub remains a top “neutral ground” choice for that all important first date (25%).

• Who are the new locals? Parents of babies are those now inclined to make greater use of their local pub – 98% will now go there for family meals and 26% will meet other parents there. This is also the group most likely to have a family birthday party in their pub (35%).

Peter Lock, Regional Manager at Combined Insurance commented: “The English pub has for centuries been the focal point of community life, as well as being the heartbeat of the nation’s soap operas. Our research suggests that far from being a threat, the new smoking ban will enable village and town pubs across the UK to play an even more integral role in community life.”

“At a time when so many local communities feel under threat, we have noted that many Britons are fighting to preserve their local identity and local services. In the age of the Internet and overseas call centres, people are going back to valuing face to face services that are locally delivered and, as a community insurer, we welcome this as a positive investment in the health of community life.

For more information or to arrange interviews please contact:
Lindsay Wienand / Guy Bellamy
FD Consumer Dynamics 020 7269 7177 / 7265
Lindsay.Wienand@fd.com

Notes to editors;

Other findings from Combined Insurance’s Community Spirit research

Overall, less than a third of British people (30%) regarded themselves to be British and loyal to the Union Jack. At a time of political devolution, 29% had primary loyalties to their kingdom (England, Wales, Scotland), and more than a fifth of people (22%) had turned their back on any form of national flag – instead defining their loyalties to their county or their village.

Within English regions, loyalty to the local community was stronger the further from London people lived. Regions with the greatest sense of community, identity and loyalty included the North East (32%), Yorkshire (30%) and the South West (27%).

Many people commented on how threats to local services threatened the fabric of community life. Factors of concern included: the lack of recreational activities (38%) and sports facilities (21%) for children. With the Government reviewing the closure of 2,500 post offices, one in three Britons (32%) say that the continued closure of post offices and village shops is hugely damaging to community life – and similarly, the closure of the local pub (15%).

Research was carried out amongst a GB representative sample of more than 2,000 people in June 2007. Additional research is available on request

1. In 2007 Combined Insurance is investing in local communities in the UK and Ireland through two community investment programmes – the Combined Insurance Community Awards focused on voluntary consumer groups, charities and clubs and the Combined Insurance Enterprise Awards recognising local small businesses

2. Since 1919, Combined Insurance (www.combinedinsurance.co.uk) has specialised in bringing affordable, quality insurance products to individuals and families - and currently provides supplemental disability, accident, health and life cover to over 3.5 million policyholders. Combined Insurance has never forgotten its roots and today operates face to face in local communities – just as it has done for the last 90 years.