As a non-smoker, I can’t really say the smoking ban at the City Ground this season really held much interest for me – although it has made a half time trip to the Gents a much more smoky experience! In line with the expected Government directives on smoking in public places, the Football League has confirmed that all Football League grounds will become smoke-free environments, which is designed to not only meet but exceed predicted government legislation on smoking in public places.
Having been to the City Ground for a number of years, I can’t say that smoke either in the seats or in the concourses has ever really bothered me. In fact, when smoking was banned in the Upper Bridgford stand (due to alleged flicking of cigarette ends onto away fans) it made it worse as people chuffed through as many fags as they could at half time in the concourses – much as they do sneakily in the toilets now.
On the whole I approve though, it’s never pleasant to be stuck next to or behind somebody puffing away throughout the game – and whilst I have some sympathy with smokers, if you can’t go a couple of hours without a snout then what do you do if you go on a flight to the continent, or on a train to London? I guess the “stress factor” Forest provides is likely to have smokers much more likely to reach for their lighters, but ultimately, it’s much fairer on those of us who don’t partake to not have to smoke passively at games.
Currently the ruling at the City Ground is discretionary, I don’t think it’s law – but obviously with the advent of “the ban” in July 2007 it will become a legal issue, I imagine that from here on we will see the rules more strictly enforced – you don’t have to wander far in the concourses to find some ne’er-do-wells smoking surreptitiously in the stairwells or toilets, as that becomes illegal as you’re in a confined public space, Forest will have to clamp down on it.
Why Forest can’t provide the opportunity for people wishing to smoke with a facility outside the turnstiles is beyond me – it wouldn’t be all that difficult to implement, I suppose the only issue is people leaving the ground and coming back – but since they should have tickets they’d be easy enough to check out and in – but that would be proactive, wouldn’t it?
Filed under: Thoughts
As a steward (not at Forest) the thought of this ban mortifies me. It’s yet another ruling made by someone sat in an ivory tower somewhere, without any thought given to those who have to impose it and the resentment it will cause towrds them.
i dont understand not having to have a fag for two hours. whats the problem?
first time i went to see the reds for a year or so was the Salisbury FA Cup game before xmas… having previously had a season ticket in Upper Bridgford before the smoking ban & sat in Main Stand occasionally since, i was used to the idea of being able to have a couple of smokes during the match.
so when i found i couldn’t even smoke in the concourse under the Trent End was a bit annoying & i witnessed a lad being rumbled for it near the toilets (he expertly ignored the steward by pretending he was on his mobile phone!!)
that said, the next time i went i was prepared for the fact i couldn’t smoke thus it wasn’t a problem – just have one outside the ground and then wait 2 hours, it ain’t that hard.
To be fair to Forest, they said they took a poll on whether the fans wanted smoking to be banned in the ground or not and the result was (about) 80% in favour of a ban.
Now I don’t recall seeing the poll (and so didn’t get the chance to vote either way) but that doesnt mean its not representative.
However its ALWAYS going to be one of these issues where you can’t please all of the people, all of the time.
Ooops! Just read the offical website and they were on about the poll!
See! It proves I read your site before the club’s official inane babble!!!
Aye, I never voted either – dunno how they took the poll, whether it was online or what.
Either way, it was really only pre-empting something that would have to be enforced anyway.
As I understand it under the new law even areas designated specifically for smokers will be illegal – which is probably why it’s completely banned.
They’re banned in confined spaces, so there would be scope for areas designated outside the ground – but that adds workload to the stewards/turnstile operators so I can see why it hasn’t been considered.
i would imagine that any poll would be of a random sample of people attending the match.
I for one can’t wait for the ban on smoking to come into action. As a non-smoker being forced to breathe in other peoples smoke is always a disgusting experience. So while this is good news for me I do feel sorry for the stewards who, come July, are going to have to enforce this ruling on the front line as it were. Surely there must be a way for grounds to organise a smoking area for those that really need a cigarette?
I don’t get the fuss that non-smokers make.
I have been both a smoker and a nonsmoker, and to date there is no hard evidence about “dangers” of passive smoking (believe it or not, it’s still a relatively new discovery considering). That being said, yes it might be disgusting for some, but how old are you? As far as I am aware, smoking has been around since the start of time. I’m sure just as you find the smoke irritating or what ever adjective you may use to describe it, people thought the same way about you when you were a child.
Or perhaps of your own children now.
Or perhaps about the “wonderful” person you become after several pints of beer.
The problem with the wonderful idea of having the smokers leave the stadium for a fag is a logistical nightmare. And not just for the poor stewards who get paid a pittance to deal with the wonderful reputation of football fans.
Far more deaths are reuslts of a million other causes then smoking, there are far greater problems in this world then the snooty complaints about cigarette smoke. Sure, stick the smokers out of the grounds, they can survive for two hours without a fag, the point is, they shouldn’t have to.
When did smoking become taboo?
Smoking, just like the clothes you wear, is a personal decision. If it really was of such great importance, why don’t they just ban the production/import of cigarettes? It’s better not to let the fat kid know theres cake in the first place.
(sorry about hijacking your blog)
No worries! I welcome views from all points; mine are close to yours..