Saturday
Oct132007
Coach for hire!
Saturday, October 13, 2007 
Final call ... if there is anyone in London and the South East who wants to take part in the protest march against the smoking ban in Bristol this coming Saturday, October 20, please contact us NOW!
If there is sufficient interest we will hire one, two or even three coaches to take marchers from central London to Bristol and back. Cost: £10 per head. To reserve your seat call 07071 766537 or email contact@forestonline.org.
Reader Comments (36)
Great offer Simon - I'm driving down from Leicester so won't need to take you up on it, but I hope that plenty from London and the South East do. No excuses guys, it's vital that we all support this march to show the government that we're serious about opposing the ban, Paul and Chris are stars and deserve a fleet of full coaches for their efforts.
So who's going to Bristol?
Sorry can't make it, but good luck!
Any more planned?
Dave
Sorry I can't be there, but from a sunny and smoke allowed Spain, I give you my full support. All the best!
im sorry i cannot attend as i live in ireland
i am relieved that english people have the backbone to stand to oppose this dictat.
in ireland the smoking ban came in without a whimper "rebel" ireland indeed!!!
little do non-smokers realize that this type of dictat will effect their freedom in the furure.over 600 pubs have closed in ireland
since the smoking ban and six pubs have closed in my area of Dublin in the past sim months.
If there was one closer I would definately come. I live in Suffolk. Good luck and hope for a big turnout.
I'm sorry I cannot make it, Distance too great. But, I am with in spirit in opposing this draconian, inappropriate and highly questionable law. Good luck.
GOOD LUCK, FOLKS - 100% behind you!
Can,t be there but you have my full support, I am 70 years old, in good health and have been a labour supporter all my life and generations before, we have to stop this nanny state sindrome of people telling us how to live our lives. God bless and good luck. Harry Lowe
Good luck.
I am gutted I cannot make it down from Leeds but my thoughts & very best wishes will be with you all! My life isn't worth living at the moment due to this smoking ban, I have been out to a pub for 2 hours twice since it came into effect & I can honestly say they were the worst most stressful horrible hours I have ever spent out so will not be socialising in a public place ever again if something isn't done. This has also affected my everyday life & I have become depressed as can't even look forward to having the odd night out at the weekend (I care for my elderley Mother-in-law who lives with me & has advanced Alzheimers & it was the only thing keeping me sane!) Anyway good luck to you all & thank you all SO much!!!
I, too, can't come and support unfortunately, but my thoughts are with all those who can go and support and make this protest great. If we had a march in somewhere like Leeds or York, it would be a lot easier for me. Good luck to all of you and especially to Paul and Chris for organising this.
I work in Kuwait so, naturally, I will not be there to support you. I still find it hard to believe that this ridiculous ban has been imposed - I was in England in July and I must say it ruined my holiday in my once beloved democratic country.
Good luck and keep up the fight against fascism.
Thanks for this email. Sadly we cant be there. But goodness knows what will happen this winter. As Many pubs will have no choice but to close down.Many smokers, will stay and home and buy drink into have so they can relax in peace and quiet. This is the worst country to live in for our laws. I think that the publican should have a say. What ever happened to good proper ventilation? Drinking heavily is now on the increase. Further more there are more ciggie end on the streets for the street cleaners to pick up. Anyway GOOD LUCK weLL DONE TO THOSE GOING
Pity I live so far away, but here is my wish that you're going to need a HUNDRED coaches to transport protesters to the venue!!! I'd like to see a true show of force not only by smokers who are being ostracized as politically incorrect villains, but also by non-smokers who see through all the scheming and support the human rights of us, pariahs of society ...
I'm keeping fingers crossed that this march is turning out a great success!
A little message to those living within the UK (but too far to join this particular event): organize one in your own area ...
PS: Spanish law is starting to impose the same kind of 'corporal and psychological punishment' as we see on your island up north, although public AND administrative resistance are keeping it at bay - at least for a little while longer. However, the EU will find a way to force it all upon us here too, any minute now. I guess we all know that democracy is just a buzz word, not a reality.
How very sad it is that London,the city that used to be the envy of the world and lured me in my late teens, 43 years ago, to make it my home for it's open-minded lifestyle and tolerant inhabitants has now become the most joyless autocratic and tyrannical metropolis of the free world. Sorry I cannot attend but I will surely march in London.
Your efforts and dedication are much appreciated.
Colin
Guildford
Getting to Bristol is a real problem on that day, but I would question the point in marching in Bristol, or any other city in the provinces. Marching in London, and to the very heart of government is really the only way to make a difference and get the press coverage - which is what's needed here.
I'm also very aware that Forest itself is not really radical enough for the job in hand, this is a tough fight and can't be won with the low key, almost politically correct attitude which seems to prevail.
The health police were ruthless in every respect getting this legislation through. I'm sure you all know the the kind of lies and manipulation they used. That's the kind of attitude Forest need to adopt. The meek "Haven for smokers" approach just isn't enough.
But it's all we have at the moment, so I naturally applaud all who make it to Bristol, but it has to be London next time!
Chic
Good luck on Saturday & well done for organising the march. Everybody should carry a bell and call out "unclean" as they march along, as we are the new lepers, the only people in society who can be legally discriminated against!
Here in Castleford two pubs have already closed since the ban (neither had a beer garden) and I suspect that it's only the mild weather keeping a lot more open. I work in the drinks distribution industry and I've noticed that sales to pubs have been dropping while sales to supermarkets have increased.
My wife and I have only been to the pub once since July and we don't intend to go again until we can enjoy our right to partake of a legal substance in public once more.
I regret I am unable to attend, but I shall be with you in spirit. The present regime is gradually 'criminalising' everything which was considered normal when I was in my formative years, and I have had enough of it. I am suddenly, at a stroke of some fascist's pen, no longer 'allowed' to hunt vermin, smoke, give a misbehaving child a swift clip round the ear or insult anybody who might be over-sensitive. Several of my forbears gave their lives in the last war to protect our right to do such things. They must be spinning in their graves....
Our local pubs are suffering from this iniquitous inposition. I fear closures are imminent.
Just a reply to Chic really, my name is Chris and it is Paul and i who have organised the protest marches in Wells, Glastonbury and Bristol we do aim to do a protest in London but i must say that the reason we have done others outside of London is that it affects everyone and everywhere in the country and although London is the capital of the country it is not the centre of the universe many protests take place in London everyday of the week so it will not make front page news but in the west this is a major news story and Bristol is a major city, where ever the protest is if you are behind the cause then you will be there if circumstances allow.
Sods Law again, I cant be there,but guys if there's only one of you on the protest march the rest of us are with you all the way. I hope you smoke. Let us hope this will get some TV coverage.
Yeh right!!!.
Roll on the London march,but more advance notice next time.You have my full support and admiration.
I can't come - a matinee and evening performance get in the way. I shall be smoking outside the stage door whenever I get the opportunity! Keep it going guys. I agree with everything said so far, especially about the pubs closing - desperate for local and national economy.
I'm in ireland and cannot attend. Its just been revealed today that pubs in rural ireland apart from the hundreds that have closed many more are not open during the week and if some do only open from 9pm. An irish journalist Declan Lynch who writes for the national paper has written a book - The Book of Poor Ould Fellas published by Hodder Headline out this week. I intend to buy it as he has continuously campained for smokers and has an excellent insight into the way ireland is going and by the looks of things the way the rest of the EU is heading.
Further to my previous comment I forgot to mention that it has been revealed that most bar men in ireland are only part time and some are of a dubious quality. Of course central Govt do not care about smoking minorities as they are not loosing any tax revenue because off licence sales have trebled and in some cases quadrupled since the ban. Tourism in rural ireland has decreased so badly since the decline of the pub scene that the govt are investing millions encouraging these gimmicy health spas, and now the farmers are trying to stop these "health" walkers from trespassing on their land. Also cocaine addiction has soared in the last couple of years. Where is it all going to end!!!
I am glad to see we have oposition to the smoking ban, we need more. I a unable to get to Bristol, but I wish you well
Morris Healey
I wish to inform the british people that ireland after 3 years of the smoking ban is a sorry sight and an uncomfortable place to live with the sense of no ease of living or free choice, to see people gathered outside pubs drinking and practically empty inside is the most dispairing and frightening sight one can see in so called modern ireland. Another warning for you is the fact that we do not need smoke inspectors in ireland as our fellow citizen who has fallen totally for the health and safety brainwashing of the vested interests, will be the first to point the finger and rat you out. Not a pretty picture I know but thats whats down the line for britain if you cant get some reversal on this insane EU dictat ban. Why dont you make it an issue at your next elections, in the meantime all the best on your demo on Sat.
I will be going to Bristol Simon,it will be great to see all those who are fighting the ban.Though,I will go by train,as I need to walk with a freedom2choose.info banner.
Good luck with this and future events. I am unable to attend due to work commitments. As I travel around in my car I often see hoards of people outside buildings like pubs, clubs etc. It is a very strange and sad sight for me that these are the smokers forced outside by a ban that was intoduced contrary to the Labour Party Maifesto. Rise up and protest!
Good luck on the march? can,t make it as I live up north but i,m sure these marches will spread north ,south, east and west ?as the anger builds !
Good luck! Like one of the other guys said, I've seen a few local pubs closing down. Me? I won't drink IN a pub anymore, tho' I'll sit outside if the weather is OK. So going out for a drink is a summer activity now (and my non-smoking wife, understandably, isn't impressed)! Thanks HM Government!
We feel about protest marches much as we do about flares and platform shoes - best not experienced twice! We also live 160miles from Bristol.
However, we WILL be joining the march this Saturday, proud to support paul and chris in their demonstration against this nasty, spiteful, bullying experiment in social engineering
Some things are bigger than personal ego.
cant be there, but GO GO GO!
I cannot make it but I am 100% behind you I feel that I have no human rights, and that a lot of public houses will be closed go for it!
Good luck on Saturday I hope it goes well.
This ban should be stopped or changed! I am a 20yr old Mum and I go out to have a laugh with my friends occasionally when I have a family member to babysit for me. I go out not to sit and worry about if its raining or cold and where i can go for a cig! We should have both smoking & non smoking pubs so we could have the choice of which we go in! it should be about freedom of choice!!
anyway good luck and all the best i regret i can not get down to join you!!
You will have my full support. On the radio today, I heard a member of a "think tank" advocating the bullying of obese people to "persuade" them into losing weight. The Fascist health lobby will not stop unless we all pull together to get them to leave us to make our own choices.
We are told that food sales have increased since the ban, if I want to eat out, I'll go to a restaurant not a pub.
Pubs are closing everywhere, to be replaced by bland eateries. Are we going to let a thousand years of our culture just be wiped away?
Fight the ban with all your might.
lets have a protest in every city easy