Whitchurch vending firm waits for ban
Friday 15th October 2010, 11:29AM BST.
Bosses at a north Shropshire company face an anxious wait to hear the outcome of Government plans to ban cigarette vending machines which could lead to more than 100 people losing their jobs.
Staff at Cherwell Tobacco in Whitchurch say the firm’s future hangs in the balance pending the outcome of a Government judicial review on proposals which took place on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The Government want to introduce the ban in a bid to stop young people smoking.
Bosses at the firm, which employs about 120 people and supplies vending machines, say they could be forced to close with “terrible” consequences for the local workforce if the ban comes into force.
Sir Anthony May judged proceedings in London’s High Court and will make a decision on the ban in about eight weeks.
Paul Mair, sales and market director of Cherwell Tobacco said he was concerned by the threat.
He said: “If we are forced to close it would be terrible for a small market town like Whitchurch as we are a big employer of local people.”
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It looks like the “bosses” at Cherwell Tobacco have failed to spot this coming when its been on the cards for a long time. What they should have been doing is diversifying their business.
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This is true. Also, anyone who takes a job in this industry deserves to lose it. Not only do they cost taxpayers and the NHS thousands they cause untold stress for people effected by tobacco related diseases.
But I guess we’ll end up paying for their dole bills as well…bloody britain!
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I agree with Andy H.
Any director of a firm linked so closely to tobacco sales who says that they did nothing to anticipate a ban is either incompetent or running the company with their head in the sand.
Still, it’s not a lost cause – I suggest that said director takes a trip to Japan for a few weeks to study the vending industry there. When I was there, there was very little that could not be bought from a vending machine.
If Japan is too far, Austria is another possibility, although not quite as developed or diversified as the Asian countries.
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The problem is, the more the Government bully firms and people into giving up smoking, not only does this in turn mean LESS taxes to be taken to add to the coffers for spends but it also means that smokers will live longer as a result.
Their so called ‘brilliant idea’ to force smokers to give up has actually meant that they take less in taxes therefore have less money to give to the NHS which of course is now snowed under with more people needing treatment with ex smoking related illnesses.
Great idea! less taxes coming in to pay for the NHS and smokers live longer ergo more drain on NHS and now more people facing being dumped on the dole!
When will they ever learn to think things through fully?
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SMOKING KILLS! Good riddance!
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They have diversified into coffee machines
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lol! Too little too late! They should have produced a short to medium term plant to completly move away from tobacco sales. It was obvious to EVERYONE that machines would be next for the chop especially after the age was raised, so people in the industry should certainly have seen this coming!
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If we all stopped smokeing today would the non smokers be happy to pay the extra taxes we were paying?
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