The Stage

No variety in Equity smoking policy

Published Monday 27 February 2006 at 10:40

Equity’s policy on smoking (News, February 23, front) is to support a ban in all places where members work, including dressing rooms, green rooms, rehearsal rooms, on stage and backstage areas. Our policy, which was agreed at last year’s Equity conference, contains no exception for variety clubs. The only exception Equity is calling for is where smoking is an integral part of the action during a performance. The union has asked the government to include such an exception in the guidance on the implementaion of the new law, which is due to come into force next year.

With the proportion of the population of the United Kingdom who smoke now down to 26%, according to Action on Smoking and Health, the claim that the government’s smoking ban will be “highly detrimental” to social clubs and “disastrous” for the Equity members who work in them may prove to be an exaggeration. Audiences at social clubs might actually increase if people find they do not have to sit in an unpleasant and unhealthy smoky atmosphere.

Social clubs might have done more to stem their fall in audiences if, years ago, they had lifted the widespread and entirely outmoded discrimination against women members.

Christine Payne

General secretary

Equity

Guild House

Upper St Martin’s Lane

London WC2