Dry cleaners hit by smoking ban (From The Bolton News)

Dry cleaners hit by smoking ban

12:07pm Thursday 31st January 2008 in

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The ban on smoking in public places has hit trade at the UK's biggest dry cleaner, the company revealed .

Johnson Service Group, parent of Johnson Cleaners, said the fresher atmosphere in pubs and bars had led to a fall in the number of people getting their garments dry cleaned.

The group, which also runs the Jeeves of Belgravia chain, said a decline in consumer spending on the high street was also having an effect on dry cleaning volumes.

But the company said that overall it was trading "satisfactorily against a backdrop of market uncertainty".

Johnson chairman Simon Sherrard conceded 2007 had been "very difficult for the group".