Some would claim the legislation reeks of the Nanny State
THERE can be little doubt that of all the policies introduced since devolution, the ban on smoking in public places has been the greatest success.
Much of that has been do with the general shrug of acceptance from smokers, best illustrated by the fact that in almost six months only two people have been issued with £50 fines by the city's smoking enforcers, while research conducted by the council shows the number of people that now agree with the ban has risen from 58 to 76 per cent.
Bar staff and licensees, despite reporting an average decline in sales of 11 per cent, deserve praise for playing their part and only 66 warning letters and two fixed penalties have been handed out from almost 6000 visits to Edinburgh licensed premises.
Those who do flout the ban do so in secret and it is interesting to note anecdotal reports of a growing trend in late night lock-in "smoke-easies" for trusted customers where the ashtrays are brought out after closing time.
The Scottish Licensed Trade Association claims that 46 per cent of their members are seeing fewer customers, while only five per cent report an increase. They warn of the end of the traditional pub. But what exactly was that? To most people it will conjure up memories of a smokey, inhospitable drinking den where women, never mind children, were generally made unwelcome. If that is indeed the case some progress has been made and there is little chance of the clock being turned back to save such establishments.
The full effect of the ban will probably not be felt for many years - not until the first generation grows up whose image of smoking is one of a habit for small groups of hunted-looking people huddling in the cold and rain rather than one of sophisticated chic.
Some would still claim the legislation reeks of the Nanny State and maybe they are right. But perhaps this is one instance where Nanny does know best.
Mr McConnell has failed to give a rational explanation
PERHAPS Jack McConnell's outrageous, if unsubstantiated claim, that the Executive's jobs dispersal programme is good for Edinburgh may be of some value in that it finally appears to have brought matters to a head.
City leaders who were naturally outraged at his ludicrous assessment of the situation are now intent on seeking a meeting in the near future with the First Minister to outline their case for halting the further siphoning off of jobs to other parts of the country. Hopefully they will not only remind him of the damage this policy is doing but of the real heartache facing hundreds of city families who have been given the choice of uprooting or losing their jobs.
So far Mr McConnell has failed give any rational explanation of why he regards this as a "pro-Edinburgh" policy which is assisting the growth of the private sector. But given his bullishness and "pride" in moving SNH from the Capital to Inverness and his determination to see Sportscotland relocated to Glasgow, it would appear that the council will have some job on their hands making him see sense. At least for once he won't be surrounded by sycophants.
