Is this the best smoking room in the world?
Sunday, October 16, 2011 at 9:56 
Just back from Ireland.
On Friday, in Kilkenny, John Mallon and I stumbled upon what I can only describe as the best smoking room I have ever seen.
I can't even begin to do justice to this temple to tobacco so here's what the pub itself has to say on its impressive website:
One noted industry professional recently said “I have seen the future of the pub trade and its name is The Tobacco Shop at Matt’s”. Smoking areas have become an integral part of the social fabric prevalent in Irish Pubs and cognisant of this the team at Matt’s have recently added 'The Tobacco Shop' to cater for this very important need. You can now enjoy a smoke in comfort and have a drink, a coffee or a bite to eat in style without getting pneumonia or being left out in the cold! The Tobacco Shop is serviced by its own full service bar, is fully furnished and is perfect no matter what the weather may bring. You really do have to see it to believe it.
The room is up three flights of stairs and overlooks the river. You enter via a non-smoking bar on same floor so although it was built as an extension it feels part of the original building, which has yet another bar on the ground floor.
On Friday afternoon the smoking room was cool yet comfortable with not a whiff of tobacco, stale or otherwise, until John lit up. (Even then it was barely noticeable.) By comparison, the rest of the pub seemed rather stuffy.
Outside it was raining but inside The Tobacco Shop the weather wasn't a problem because – according to a member of staff – the velux windows shut automatically when it rains.
Smoking rooms come in all shapes and sizes in Ireland and initiatives like this give smokers a place where they can eat, drink and smoke in comfort without inconveniencing a single non-smoker. (Bar staff, we were led to believe, can choose whether they wish to work in there.)
The Tobacco Shop shames everyone who supports the vindictive, illiberal regulations in Britain. Somehow we have to convince politicians and pubcos that facilities like this represent the future of the hospitality industry, not the past.
Update: One or two of you are asking 'How is this allowed?'. We asked the same question and although a direct answer wasn't forthcoming, we were assured, by a member of staff, that planning permission had been granted.
The difference, I suspect, is down to interpretation of the regulations (which may be less restrictive in Ireland) plus a willingness, on the part of some authorities in Ireland, to adopt a more attitude towards smoking rooms and their patrons.
Last year, as it happens, I wrote a post (Postcard from Ireland) that included a comment that in hindsight seems rather prescient:
Interestingly, it does seem that the authorities are enforcing the law less rigorously than when [the smoking ban] was first introduced in 2004, and people are finding ways round it.
At the very least Britain should follow Ireland's example. Sadly, British bureaucrats are notorious sticklers for rules and regulations so a formal amendment to the legislation remains our preferred choice.
Simon Clark
John Mallon's tour of Ireland has started rather well.
Further to my earlier post, John been interviewed by radio stations in Waterford and Kilkenny. The tour has also been reported by the Cork Independent and the (Cork) Evening Echo. (The Echo's headline was 'John to set nation alight with tour to protect smokers' rights'.)
Ahead of John's visit to Galway on Wednesday, Galway FM ran the following report:
A pro-smokers organisation is coming to Galway next week to drum up support for smokers rights.
Forest Eireann is calling on the Government to relax the smoking ban, cut tobacco duty to tackle smuggling and respect the rights of adults who decide to smoke.
The group is supported by the British smokers' group Forest and receives donations from tobacco companies in Britain and Ireland.
Forest Eireann supporters are coming to Galway on Wednesday week October 19th to distribute their manifesto around the city centre.
Spokesperson John Mallon says the anti-smoking movement has gone too far.
Tomorrow John is in Tralee where he will be on Kerry FM at 9.30am. Then it's on to Limerick, Galway, Ballyhaunis and Donegal.
Unfortunately the tour ends in Dublin on October 26, the day before the Irish presidential election, so national coverage will be hard to come by.
If we enjoy any success I may pop over again to celebrate. In the meantime ... watch this space.
Reader Comments (16)
I don't understand this.
Isn't Ireland subject to the same smoking 'shelter' regulations as the UK? There appear to be far too many walls. How is it legal?
Karen makes a good point.
If they was the UK the landlord would be taken away in handcuffs.
In UK it has to be at least 50% uncovered, so I was told by a Landlord. There's no doubt it's impressive but I wouldn't like to be a veteran old soldier having to climb 3 flights of stairs - and then descend them again after a few pints of the hard stuff.
Good stuff, though. Very civilised.
How is it that this place in Ireland has different Laws to here in England when we are led to believe that the Laws are the same.
It is a disgrace that the U.K. can force people outside and yet in Ireland they can be inside in comfort.
Are the M.P.'s aware of this here in the U.K. If not, we should be screaming at them.
Are 'smoking shops' here in the U.K.
I am fuming at this.
Kilkenny is in Southern Ireland, so I don't believe it's covered by UK law.
I believe they could reform their smoking ban without the interference from our nanny state here in the UK.
The smoking laws in Ireland define a smoking shelter in the same way as the smoking laws in Britain, i.e. walls under 50% of the roof maximum. That is a smokeasy and, given that it appears on a website, is quite frankly a flagrant one. Have the people of Ireland got to the point that they are happy to just ignore this daft law and use common sense? Bodes well methinks.
Its great to see that smokers in Ireland now have places to go where they can socialise and meet up with friends, in comfort all year round.
The smoking ban here continues to ruin the social lives of thousands of people.When will our govt wake up to this fact?
In the picture, you can only see two walls. There is no certainty that the other two walls are not open to the elements.
It would be great is Simon could describe the position as regards the other two walls.
I think it might be along the same lines as cigar shop we have here in the UK - certainly in London, where customers are allowed by law to sample cigars that are on sale.
The Floridita in Wardour Street, Soho, for example. Have a look at their site here
, and don't forget to turn up your sound and watch the video.
Junican - if you take a look at the other photos on their impressive website you can see quite clearly that there is a full complement of walls.
I'm guessing the clue is in the name over the door: 'The Tobacco Shop'. Irish law, being a tad less spiteful than ours, allows for smoking in specialist tobacco shops.
Perhaps Simon will clear this mystery up for us?
That's a fairly liberal interpretation of "sample cigars". I'd say "parallel universe" is a more accurate description of Floridita.
Thank you Karen. I see what you mean.
Meanwhile Simon, what has happened to the cards advertising the E-Petition that you promissed us? I asked for mine about 10 days ago?
Yes, and I could have given away loads to just about everyone on this trip http://patnurseblog.blogspot.com/2011/10/bucket-o-baccy.html
Maybe next time - unless of course the Govt treats as humans and then I might actually start buying my baccy in the UK again :>)
Karen, we're still making enquiries because the owner wasn't there to answer our questions. As far as we could tell, however, The Tobacco Shop is a smoking room, nothing else. Despite the name, there was nothing to suggest it could be classified as a specialist tobacco shop.
Thanks Simon.
Please keep us posted if and when you get anywhere with your inquiries.
On a similar theme, this didn't half make my blood boil: http://www.lanesborough.com/#culinary_experience/garden_room
Talk about 'them and us' :-(