Beleaguered smokers and their friends from Southern Ireland have been flocking north of the border in record numbers to avoid the smoking prohibition in the south leaving behind deserted, empty and closed bars. Some leading flagship hotels in 'smoke ban land', The Republic of Ireland have had a disastrous 15% occupancy during peak summer months while some Northern hotels have occupancy levels of more than 90%

The smoking ban introduced by the Irish Government in Southern Ireland has provided a boom for bars, clubs and restaurants in British governed Northern Ireland especially in border areas. Meanwhile pubs south of the border have suffered as customers leave in droves as the promised flood of people flocking to smoke free bars made by pro ban spokespeople failed to materialise.

Many bars in border counties have had to close including the renown 'Old Log Cabin' owned by Irish country and western showman 'Big Tom' who shut his bar for good due the the ban. Two bars in the border town of Swanlibar pulled their last pints on New Years Day and also closed for good. This has decimated the social fabric of many border communities where traditionally pubs have been the focal point of social interaction and gathering.

A contrast to the different fortunes facing bars either side of the border in the wake of the smoking ban can be found between the Southern Irish village of Blacklion and it's counterpart north of the border Belcoo. While Fitzpatrick's bar in Blacklion is almost devoid of customers less than 500 yards away in Belcoo bars such as 'The Hair Of The Dog' find people making merry enjoying music, playing pool and engaging in banter and conversation while enjoying their drinks and cigarettes. No pubs in Blacklion open during the day and when they open at night remain almost empty for the most part.

Southern bars have tried to woo customers back but as one proprietor Bernie Fitpatrick explained "We've tried everything to bring the custom back, free barbecues in the summer, an outdoor beer garden where people can smoke. But the problem is the Irish weather and in winter few people will go outside with their drink. Instead they go across the border if they're smokers. A party of 10 girls for instance, and even if only two of them smoke, they'll all cross the border."

Others such as Fast Eddies in Co Donegal in a desperate bid to attract back custom have slashed prices selling all sprits and mixers for instance at €2.50 compared with normal prices exceeding €5. However these price slashing tactics have attracted the ire of many claiming it encourages irresponsible binge drinking and should be outlawed. Many of those agitated by the price cutting measure are those and of the same ilk who were proponents of the smoking ban.

Meanwhile north of the border people continue to enjoy the carefree and sociable atmosphere of the bars and pubs and view with horror plans to introduce a ban there. One publican said " The politicians should busy themselves with the real concerns of the people and not be intruding onto the social lives of the ordinary man and women of the country "

It's estimated that over 400,000 people from the South will take holiday breaks in the North this year. It's not just smokers who are fed up with the smoking ban south of the border, but their non smoking friends and partners also. One man who is a non smoker but who's wife does said " It's just not worth the hassle to take a break in the South.  Normally  we take a number of weekend breaks during the year to such places as Galway and Killarney, but what's the point, my wife spends her time outside  and I'm left on my own inside. During the summer  ourselves and two other couples went to Cork for the weekend. We went for a meal, as soon as people ordered half our group were up and out for a cigarette, this was repeated after the starter, main course and the smokers didn't even bother with dessert. In the end me and the other non smokers were so fed up with this that we bought cigars and joined the smokers outside" Now we all go to Derry for our weekend breaks where we don't have to put up with this nonsense and can relax and enjoy ourselves in peace.".