Leading the way for a smoke free Birmingham
Brindleyplace has a new smoking policy following an extensive consultation process with tenants as it continues its drive to help workers and visitors to the Estate quit the habit.
The new smoking policy follows work by Brindleyplace liaising with tenants and other agencies including the NHS’s Smoke Free Birmingham team to devise the best solution to ensure the Estate’s position as the premier business and leisure destination in the city.
Under the policy all tenants have been fully informed about the legislation coming into effect on 1 July which will see smoking banned from all buildings, car parks and basements on the Estate. Special shelters will be provided for smokers who currently congregate in the basements and around the front doors of some of the buildings.
Gary Taylor, director of Argent which manages Brindleyplace, said “the most important thing was to ensure that a smoking policy was put in place that was acceptable to all the tenants while maintaining Brindleyplace’s reputation for providing one of the cleanest and healthiest working and leisure environments in Birmingham.
“We have ensured that everyone is prepared for when the ban comes into effect while also putting in place provision for the Estate’s smokers with special shelters which will ensure they have somewhere to smoke away from the basements and front doors while also hopefully keeping litter to a minimum. We have also spent the last couple of years trying to engender a smoke-free ethos across the estate which has borne fruit with the successful clinics at Bannatynes and many of the bars and restaurants on the Estate going smoke free before the legislation comes into force.”
All Bar One of the Water’s Edge was also one of the first bars in the city to go smoke free in anticipation and has since seen a significant rise in takings, particularly in food sales. Now the rest of the bars on Water’s Edge have followed suit with the Pitcher and Piano, Slug and Lettuce, Café Rouge and Pizza Express having all banned smoking before the national legislation comes in.
Hundreds of workers and visitors to Brindleyplace have already been helped to quit by visiting the NHS-sponsored stop smoking clinics at Bannatyne’s Health Club which have been running since the turn of the year. For more information about the clinics call Preet on 0121 224 4710.