You can find them anywhere in the UK, from pubs, public areas, and workplaces; smoking shelters have been exploding with popularity since the 2007 ban on smoking indoors came into effect. Offering a practical solution to heavy handed government policy, smoking shelters provide a much needed reprieve from the ceaselessly inclement British weather.
Whether you’re simply curious about the industry, or thinking of installing a smoking shelter for yourself, there’s more to think about than just rain cover. Join us on this brief dive into the machinations of the smoking shelter industry and the shelters they produce.
Open Air Requirement
Whilst the indoor smoking ban is a legal requirement that all businesses in the UK must abide by, it does not include a requirement to provide alternative spaces. This means that its perfectly legal to not purchase and install a smoking shelter for your site. The reason these shelters have been so popular over the last 2 decades isn’t just hear-say, though. The first benefit is two-fold, they offer smokers (some 12% of the population according to the UK Government) a designated area where they can enjoy their cigarette. By guiding smokers away from your store entrance you also encourage non-smokers to visit; by creating a better smelling, cleaner, and all-around more attractive main entrance!
Smoking shelters in the UK need to abide by the smoke free regulations act of 2006. This legislation sets out a requirement to maintain an open area measuring at least 50% of the exterior, this requirement means that the average smoking shelter in the UK is going to be much cheaper and less protective than a more complete design such as a cycle shelter which includes full sidewalls and a full rear panel to completely protect against any adverse weather.
Costs
Comparing the costs of the two types of shelters, The Shelter Expert has their Best Buy Smoking Shelter up for sale at just £655.00+VAT whereas the cheapest cycle shelter available on their site is the Economy 10 Open Front starting at £140 more than the smoking shelter, at £795.00+VAT
Location
With regards to the location of the smoking shelter, most sites have more than one option available to them. Primarily, smoking shelters tend to be installed at the front of the building and away from the main entrance to strike that perfect balance between customers being able to find it, and nonsmokers being able to avoid it.
Secondary locations for a smoking shelter include the rear of the store, whilst not an area you could typically invite customers over to use, as the area receives far less foot traffic than the main entrance but is still easily accessible by the majority of your employees, a shelter in this location would be a great benefit to any of your employees that might smoke.
The Purpose
When thinking of purchasing a smoking shelter your priority needs to be finding a middle ground between those that want to smoke and those that do not. Providing a smoking shelter doesn’t mean you’re encouraging your customers and employees to smoke, it is their choice whether to smoke or not, you simply make your business more appealing by facilitating their preferences.
So as we can see, whilst there are a number of positive applications for smoking shelters, regardless of whether you’re on site or oat the store. The next time you’re out and about, try taking a lok around to see if you can spot a smoking shelter at your local supermarket, pub, store, or venue. I will bet that if they don’t have a smoking shelter installed already, then you will be able to find a mass of smokers clogging up the main entrance.
