After more than three months in lockdown, pubs are reopening all over the country.

According to Boris Johnson it's our "patriotic duty" to support the pub. But is it? 

Although most pubs allow smokers to light up outside, how many smokers consider it their "patriotic duty" to support an industry that appears to tolerate rather than actively welcome them?

On the other hand, without pubs there will be even fewer places to light up with a drink, so with thousands of pubs still facing an uncertain future, shouldn't smokers do their bit to keep Britain's pubs and bars in business?

Next Monday (13th July) you are invited to join us for a Forest webinar on this very subject. We'll be looking at the issue from all angles so do please join us and have YOUR say.

Full details below. To register click here.

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Patriotism, Smoking and the Pub
Monday 13th July 2020
6.00-7.00pm

Guest speakers include:

Madeline Grant, assistant comment editor, The Telegraph
Chris Clarkson, Conservative MP for Heywood and Middleton (tbc)
Frank Davis, smoker and blogger 
John Mallon, spokesman, Forest Ireland
Nick Hogan, former publican
Rob Lyons, author, The Road To Ruin: The impact of the smoking ban on pubs and personal choice

Each speaker will have a few minutes to make their case. The discussion will then be thrown open to the floor and you can have YOUR say.

Alternatively you can choose simply to listen to what should be a lively debate.

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To register

To join us click here.

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Further reading

It's our patriotic duty to go to the pub, and save one of Britain's last great institutions (Madeline Grant, The Telegraph)

The vital importance of being in the pub (Jim Butcher, Spiked)

Is it really our "patriotic duty" to support the pub? (Simon Clark, Taking Liberties)

How the smoking ban killed off the local boozer (Rob Lyons, Spiked)