People Smoking Outside Of Designated Areas

[Liam B]

If Alton Towers don't enforce, to their full power, their own no smoking rule, then smokers, including myself, can get away with it. They need to make it clear upon entering the park where the designated smoking areas are, provide ash trays, and not the bins they use. Just because I am a smoker, does not mean I should have to put up with smelling rubbish. They could also do some announcement in queue lines, letting people know the rule.

Occasionally if people are seen to be smoking in the queue (especially on a busy day) The ride operator comes on the speaker and states people cannot smoke along with saying the no camera's on ride thing. At oblivion once he did it every 5-10 mins. they should have something like that on a 20 minute cycle so to not annoy people but still let people be reminded to not do it. c

[Martin]

Here we are,new season and same old, same old. People smoking wherever they please ,in queue lines and wherever they want to in the park. Only now its not just standard cigarette smokers its e-cigarette smokers too.
I'm not perfect and will admit that I smoked my e-cigarette all around the park, but not in the queue line. But who was going to stop me?
However when I did have a standard cigarette it was in the designated areas. People where even lighting up as staff were walking past them and nothing was said.
In my opinion this is going to continue until Alton Towers make it a priority to stamp down on it. And I honestly don't see that as a high priority.

[Altontowersbarlow]

I agree. Some types of people will always take advantage of lenience or laziness on the behalf of staff and sometimes be entirely selfish when it comes to smoking in queue-lines or confined areas. Alton Towers do need to ensure rules are enforced to a high standard however it must be difficult to manage people who will purposely ignore signs or announcements around the park and take advantage of the friendly atmosphere the resort's staff try to create. I am not a smoker and I certainly don't want to be in discomfort in queue-lines however I understand how difficult it must be for the park's staff to enforce rules without being accused of alienating or upsetting smoking guests.

[stealthsmiler]

AT do need to make designated smoking areas clearer. TBH smokers should be lucky it's not me in charge as my way of thinking is make the punishment so severe it puts them off doing it. In this case it would be immediate removal from the park. I am a non smoker and find people smoking whilst walking round the park very unpleasant, and I'm sure I'm not the only one. E cigs aren't too bad and i think they are okay, I think they should be allowed even in the queue lines. I also think now that there's E cigs, that AT (and other businesses) should be allowed to ban ordinary cigs from the site altogether and only allow E cigs.

[Dom]

I also think now that there's E cigs, that AT (and other businesses) should be allowed to ban ordinary cigs from the site altogether and only allow E cigs.

By doing this AT would be alienating a lot of customers who do smoke. Drinking is also bad for you too. Should AT permanently ban anyone who drinks? By allowing smokers, its increasing the amount of people likely to go through the gate. I have yet to go to AT this year so i don't know if they have actually done anything to make it more noticeable where the smoking areas are. Anyone smoking in the queue lines is an idiot. I'm a smoker and i have never lit up in a queue line. Its just bad manners.

[stealthsmiler]

They should ban alcohol from onsite as well. Smokers could still go on site, but would have to use E cigs. Obviously AT could only enforce this if the Government allowed all businesses to do this. Until then, clearly signed smoking areas that are well out of the way of busy paths are needed.

[Owen]

They should ban alcohol from onsite as well. Smokers could still go on site, but would have to use E cigs. Obviously AT could only enforce this if the Government allowed all businesses to do this. Until then, clearly signed smoking areas that are well out of the way of busy paths are needed.

E-cigs are only allowed to be used in smoking areas too, bit excessive tbh

[Alex]

They should ban alcohol from onsite as well. Smokers could still go on site, but would have to use E cigs. Obviously AT could only enforce this if the Government allowed all businesses to do this. Until then, clearly signed smoking areas that are well out of the way of busy paths are needed.

Why should alcohol be banned when you are on site? Surely this would stop a lot of business in the hotel bars??

[stealthsmiler]

I meant in the park, rather than the whole resort. Plus it should be very limited.

[Zach]

I meant in the park, rather than the whole resort. Plus it should be very limited.

I think this is quiet an unfair statement to make alcohol is nothing bad and I have never heard of any negative behaviour on resort due to anti-social behaviour or drunken behaviour, the only time alcohol is banned on site is on expected travellers days but that is when everything on park is stepped up security etc, but alcohol is nothing negative there are plenty of people who like to have either a pint or bottle with there lunch for example steak I know on meets quiet a few of the group with have a drink with there afternoon meal but everyone is sensible and after all everyone is on park for the same reason to enjoy themselves and have a good time.

[pillsburyb]

After visiting yesterday, it's not tobacco smokers that are the problem, it is people smoking weed.

A lot of blatant weed smoking going off yesterday

[Vincent's Valentine]

From reading other people's replies here I think the problem is clear: its not the rule, its the people

Considerate smokers (thank you!) actually take the time to check if they are going to upset people nearby and try to keep the smoke away from others. But sadly there are many idiots in the world who couldn't care less about their impact on others, smoking or otherwise.

Maybe what we need is an idiot fine rather than a smoking fine. . . .

[Dom]

There is only one thing that annoys me when it comes to this. As a smoker, even if your using the designated smoking areas, people will still give you evil looks and do the whole fake cough thing. Some designated smoking areas are on the side of pathways which people use, IE The one in Gloomy Wood.People have to walk past it to get into Haunted Hollow. So why should i be on the receiving end of looks of hatred when I am the one using a designated smoking area? Its not my fault that AT put it there.

But smoking is bad and any one smoking in the queue lines is wrong and should be kicked out of the line for doing it.

[memgrubb]

I hate to be the devil's advocate here, but I'm a non-smoker and I don't see what the big issue is with e-cigarettes and never had a problem with people smoking in queue lines etc.

I personally think the government have a bee in their bonnet over e-cigs because they don't currently receive much tax revenue from them, but that's a discussion for another day.

[Dom]

Alton Towers today posted in reply to someone on twitter that they are currently reviewing there smoking policy. So there could well be some changes to it in the future.

[jjoverrun]

I once had a guy in the Nemmy queue and he was smoking and there was 2 9 year olds behind him!

[JustWill]

I'd just ban all smoking and alcohol in park.
That's just me though.

[Sr88]

I agree. Get rid of smoking all together, it's not fair on children, and people who don't want to have to inhale it. Even in the specific smoking areas it's a problem, but get rid all together and that solves that.

[palaydion]

I wouldn't ban Alcohol but for cigs I think if you are out of a designated area you would get hit with a fine. I saw a woman smoking just across from the smoking point! Just make it more clear where they have to go...

[Dom]

Just make it more clear where they have to go...

As a smoker i have to agree with this bit. Unless you have a park map to hand, you have no idea where the smoking areas are. I only know of 3 around the park. The one by RMT, The one at the entrance to Haunted Hollow and one near the lawns near Sonic. They need to make smokers, like myself, aware that the areas actually exist and not just put up a small A4ish size S sign.