Campaign for Vaping in Pubs

The Anglers Rest Ebacconist

Wed, 23 May 2012 08:30:00 +0000

'Stay Inside VIP Night' in Greasbrough 30/05/12

Wed, 23 May 2012 08:15:00 +0000

On Wednesday the 30th May, smokers will be encouraged to stay inside the Yellow Lion pub in Greasbrough for the night by trying electronic cigarettes.

A local market trader has organised this night under the CAM-VIP umbrella and he will set up stall inside the pub for the night with his selection of quality ecigs. He encourages smokers to 'try before they buy', to find the device and flavours that suit them and explains the benefits and pitfalls of the different brands.

For more information contact Andrew via email at tooting@blueyonder.co.uk or visit him at Penistone Market on Thursday and Saturday or Denaby Market on Sunday.

The event starts at 7pm, please come along and support the pub;

Yellow Lion

Church Street

Greasbrough

Rotherham

S61 4DX

Russell

CAM-VIP "e-bacconists" and the VIP Partners Part 1

Sun, 13 May 2012 08:50:00 +0000

Over the last two years, the Campaign for Vaping in Pubs has been spreading the word about the legal alternative to smoking in pubs. The aim has been to increase awareness to smokers that there is an alternative to standing outside your local with a pint and missing all the fun going off inside.

Traditional pubs and what they have to offer, are becoming a real rarity. A large section of society in 2012, does not understand the concept of a traditional community pub and what it can offer its locality. Many people under the age of 40, have not been exposed to a real pub. Instead, they associate pubs with either extortionately priced alcohol, somewhere to eat out or take the kids, as part of a binging pub crawl or a trendy 'pulling' place. Many of the younger generation have never spent the whole of a single night in one pub. This lost generation is possibly the main reason why traditional pubs are failing however, the 'smoking ban', along with the price differential between on and off sales, has contributed to the decline.

Despite the Government's attempts to stop people from smoking or discourage people from taking up the 'nasty' habit, many people (like myself) still enjoy smoking, especially with a pint or two. The same holds true for the younger generation of smokers who we wish to attract into our traditional pubs. One possible way of doing this is to encourage traditional pubs to become the local 21st century tobacconist or 'e-bacconist' - a place for smokers to buy their favourite brand of electronic cigarette (ecig) - as tobacco cigarettes seem to have no place in our future;

",,, both at home and internationally, we will continue to act against the vested and commercial interests of the tobacco industry.

As Secretary of State for Health, I haven’t met with those companies. Not now or when I was in Opposition as the Conservative’s health spokesman. Their interests are not my interests. My objective is to achieve smoke-free communities; theirs is to make a profit from selling intrinsically harmful products. We don’t have common ground. This is not like alcohol, where there is a level of responsible drinking and potential shared campaigns between Government and retailers. That’s why there is no place in the Responsibility Deal for tobacco companies. There is no responsible level of tobacco consumption."

and

"We’ll also be looking at the best ways to reduce the damage that tobacco does to smokers’ bodies, even if they can’t or won’t break their addiction to nicotine.

As you know, although nicotine is an addictive substance in cigarettes, the damage mostly comes from the inhalation of the smoke itself.

Anything we can do to reduce that damage is well worth doing, even if some smokers can’t kick the nicotine."

(Speech: 6 March 2012, Andrew Lansley, Smoking and Health)

Smoking is becoming a very expensive and 'socially uncomfortable' pastime due to Government policies . The good old days when we could browse the different brands on offer at our local tobacconist or choose from a selection of 'goodies' on display at our local supermarket have gone for good. We now feel like druggies at a chemist queuing up for a methadone fix when we visit out local Tesco or Morrisons. Another alternative is to go abroad for our supplies or descend into the 'Black Market' by purchasing those imported on our behalf. As the policies on tobacco become harsher and harsher, smokers will have to look for an alternative to smoking tobacco.

Electronic cigarettes will become more and more popular as the Government's plans to erradicate 'tobacco consumption' and 'reduce the damage that tobacco does to smokers' bodies' take effect. Already tobacco companies are looking to market their own brands of ecigs to replace traditional cigarettes and there will also be 'medicinal' ecigs sold in chemists throughout the country in an attempt to wean people off nicotine (the latter is not something we are interested in).

Ecigs have been on the market for about 5 years in this country. Initially the majority of the brands available were a poor replacement for cigarettes and they were very expensive. In the last year or so, the technology has moved on and the costs have tumbled. Ecigs are now a true alternative to smoking where you cannot smoke, providing you buy the correct brand - a task which is much easier said than done!

CAM-VIP has been studying the ecig market for the last two years and one thing is clear. The brands which spend the most money on advertising in the press and other media, tend to be massively overpriced for what they are. Many of those brands give smokers unrealistic expectations of what the ecig can do and make false claims about how long they will last and what is actually in the vapour we inhale and exhale.

We have teamed up with six of the top UK online vendors of ecigs (VIP Partners) to ensure that traditional pubs wishing to be e-bacconists, will have access to the best brands at the best prices, along with all the real information and support that the smoker needs to help him/her choose the brand that is right for them. We will be trialling this initiative in my local from June and if it is successful, we hope to roll it out to other traditional pubs across the country.

Russell VR Ord

2012 - a new age of smoking,,, a new dawn for pubs? Let's hope so.

Minimum Pricing?

Fri, 20 Apr 2012 15:35:00 +0000

(logo courtesy of www.designsofhope.co.uk)

Community Pubs Month

Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:25:00 +0000

The month of April brings us CAMRA's latest initiative to save The Great British Pub. It is called Community Pubs Month. Throughout April, local pubs are encouraged to put on a myriad of events and themed nights to attract further trade. This is backed up by a website which contains ideas to increase footfall as well as a page where the locals that have signed up can be seen.

If a community pub near you has signed up and is going to the expense of organising events and theme nights, please support them. Give them a call and ask what they are doing on which dates, change your drinking habits for one month to spend a few full nights in a traditional pub and see how much fun it can be.

Give JD Wetherspoons, kiddy pubs and cafe pubs a miss for a month. Forget your friday night pub crawl for a month. Don't buy supermarket beer for a month - just give your local a try, you may actually like it :).

Real community pubs will be extinct soon without your help. Let April be a month of nostalgia, a month of community spirit and if it doesn't work as intended by increasing trade after the 30 days, at least it would have been a good send off for a fatally ill part of British culture.

One Week to Go to World Vaping Day

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 07:10:00 +0000

Here is a map of all the World Vaping Day Events.

Now is time to 'Spread the Word' to local media - let us promote the only real alternative to smoking in pubs :)

UK Pub Events are;

The Anglers Rest, 66 Park Street, Wombwell, BARNSLEY, S73 0HS.
The Dog & Partridge, Manor Street, BOLTON, BL1 1TU
Alston House, Townfoot, ALSTON, CA9 3RN
The Plasterers Arms, Cowgate, NORWICH, NR3 1SZ
The Bunch of Grapes, 2 St Thomas Road, LONDON, SE1 9RS
The Gildredge, 11 Terminus Road, EASTBOURNE, BN21 3QL

Support the Great British Pub, Support World Vaping Day!

We need a committee :)

Wed, 07 Mar 2012 08:25:00 +0000

Over the last 2 years-ish, CAM-VIP has been trying to promote ecigs to pub-going smokers with some success. It has made some progress in the vaping community and is widely seen as a success - however, the true story is that the campaign has been based around the hard work of myself and a handful of dedicated individuals.

We have got to the point where new initiatives and people are needed to take CAM-VIP to the next level. Could you be one of those people?

All you need is a few hours a month to help plan, discuss and implement new strategies to 'spread the word' about vaping to the smokers out there who appreciate what a traditional pub has to offer.

If anyone is interested in taking CAM-VIP through 2012 and the 'New Dawn for Pubs', please pm me here or email me at rvro at hotmail dot com.

Thank you for your time

Russell VR Ord

Founder of The Campaign for Vaping in Pubs

Let's make a weekend of it :) 24th-25th February

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 07:00:00 +0000

In just over a week, there is a great opportunity for smokers to find out about electronic cigarettes and try one for free. Members of CAM-VIP have organised consecutive nights in two pubs situated at opposite sides of the Humber river.

Friday 24th February at The Loco - Haxey, NE Lincs

This pub has a steam theme, from the bar which has the front of an old steam locomotive embedded into a wall, to the accommodation, named after famous steam engines, to the authentic steaming hot curries that Landlord Ziggy provides. Haxey's smokers can come along and find out about the New Age of 'Steam' - the electronic cigarette :)

Friday 24th February from 7.00 until 11.30 at The Loco, 31-33 Church Street Haxey Nr Doncaster DN9 2HY.

Saturday 25th February at The Lamp - Hull

Situated right next to The Camponile and close to Hull's Travelodge, this pub will be hosting Hull's 2nd 'Stay Inside' VIP Night. This bustling pub will have live music on in the main bar, but the snug will be filled with smokers trying the legal alternative to standing outside with a cigarette - staying inside with an electronic cigarette :)

Saturday 25th February from 7.00 until late/early at The Lamp, 2 Norfolk Road, Beverley Road, Hull HU2 9AA.

CAM-VIP Nights are about making smokers and pubs aware of electronic cigarettes and the benefits they bring to both parties - come along and show your support.

2012 - a new age of smoking, a new dawn for pubs!

Russell VR Ord

VIP Curry Night in Haxey

Sat, 14 Jan 2012 09:15:00 +0000

Chris Birks aka eciggyman has organised a VIP and Curry Night at the Loco in Haxey (NE Lincs). It would be great if we could have a late Winter meet up with a few ales and a warming curry. Please come along and support this event and support the pub.

This is from his facebook post;

"The Loco is a truly lovely old themed pub in the charming village of Haxey.

It is in the "Good Pub Guide" and always has two guest real ales on pump.

The landlord (Ziggy) cooks authentic Indian cuisine and I have secured a special deal of just £5 a head, but he needs a figure of how many to cook about a week before the event.

If you wish to stay the night he has seven absolutely gorgeous rooms

Tariff is £50 single room and £60 for a double, including breakfast.

If all goes to plan we should have a fabulous night in a really great,

unusual pub....Railway enthusiasts will love it!"

It will be on Friday 24th February from 7.00 until 11.30 at The Loco, 31-33 Church Street Haxey Nr Doncaster DN9 2HY.

We hope to see a few of you there. Here is a link to the pub's website.

Russell

A pub is not just for Christmas!

Sat, 31 Dec 2011 11:55:00 +0000

The festive period brings out a different side to our characters. It is a time when we become nostalgic and remember the warm and cosy parts of our past - with family and friends. We come together as a community, we celebrate what we have whilst thinking of those less fortunate than ourselves.

This couple of weeks at the start of Winter is a celebration of what we hold dear to our hearts, the people and things we cherish. It is also a time when we reflect on what is important to us, our successes and failures of the previous twelve months and our wishes for the future. In a way, this fortnight focusses our minds on the good and bad in society and builds a resolve to 'do better' throughout the cold, bleak winter months and into the new spring.

The sense of community is enhanced by social gatherings, whether it be in a church, a village hall or in a public house. Many more people attend these places during the festive period than at any other time of the year - to enjoy each other's company. However, once winter kicks in, we withdraw back into our shells, leaving those places as empty shells until spring arrives.

The traditional British pub is in decline. 'Society' has moved on, we can virtually do anything in the comfort of our own home. We can meet like-minded people online through our computers or mobile phones, chat via skype or video chat rooms. We do not need to suffer the bar-bore or the drunk or anything that challenges or makes us think or uncomfortable - we can just turn them off! Cheap supermarket booze can be delivered to our door and we can party to our hearts' content without any intrusion from 'undesirables'. So why is it different during Christmas and at the New Year, why is that not enough to satisfy us?

My New Year's resolution is to challenge myself and my beliefs, to go out into the harsh, cruel world and meet up with bar-bores, other drunks, places/people and 'undesirables' that make me think or challenge me. It is time to step out of my comfort zone and face reality - for better or for worse.

A pub is not just for Christmas, it is a National treasure that has to be protected and supported all year round - otherwise it will disappear for good along with the good times we associate with it during the festive season.

Russell