Noticed this little ‘stubs corner’ outside Waitrose in Bath the other day. I don’t know whether it’s staff coming out for a cigarette or shoppers going in pausing – to get one last drag on their disgusting fag.
It amazes me how many businesses let staff pop out to the shop front for a ciggie break. Not what l would call a good advertisement for the store around whose entrance they are hanging.
Wetherspoons – on James Street West – made me laugh too. A little gaggle of blokes puffing away in a special sheltered enclosure outside. They looked like sheep in a pen.
I did wonder at first – if this was some contemporary art tableaux representing the smoking stacks skyline of industrial Manchester during the heyday of King Coal.
The biggest irony has to be a trip to Weston super Mare General Hospital to see my poorly sister and noting the number of people ignoring the No Smoking signs right outside the front entrance.
It’s fair to say this hospital is not alone. I have seen the same thing happening at Southmead and the RUH.
Hospitals often have bairly enough staff inside to care for the sick without having to go outside and remind people that these are a places of healing – and caring – not public spaces for indulging in nicotine suicide.
Left to me l would ban the weed in any public space. Yes – l am an ex-smoker of 27 years. There was as much smoke as stress in our newsroom. Both – l am sure – have been killers in our industry.
Oh how l wish l had known then what we know about smoking now.
