Nightclub’s terrace allows patrons to smoke in safety

Sep 5 2008 by Laurie Stocks-Moore, Chester Chronicle

Nightclub’s terrace allows patrons to smoke in safety

A SAFE haven for smokers has opened its doors at a city nightclub.

For the past month, the third floor terrace at RB’s on Northgate Street has been a hive of activity for contractors, but is now buzzing with the chatter of smokers.

RB’s owner, Dave Cooper, has hailed the area as a first for allowing clubbers to smoke in safety after midnight after a two year struggle to get it open.

“It’s been a long time coming. It’s been nearly two years I’ve been fighting for this thing.”

And he says the terrace will offer clubbers something his competitors cannot.

“It’s the only major outside smoking area enclosed in licensed premises where you can still drink and have a smoke after midnight. Bar Lounge and Oddfellows have smoking areas but you can’t smoke there after midnight.

“I think you’ll see more of these throughout the country. It’s a much more civilised way of drinking. It will give it that open feel and make it more European by design.”

Dave argues the terrace will combat violent crimes and public order offences too.

“When you put customers on to the street you endanger them. You can’t protect them as well as you can inside. All that will go away.

“Statistics prove there’s more incidents of public order offences between 11pm and 3am. That’s the time to keep people safe off the street and not having to queue to get in and out of the building.”

Dave believes the negative impact the smoking ban has had on his business, which he says contributed to a loss in takings of at least 10%, will be reversed by the new terrace.