To the editor:

The owner of Hereford House is claiming his business is being threatened by the smoking ban. Ha! I can tell you in two words why his business is suffering: another steakhouse. As a constant visitor to Lawrence for the last four years, I made it a point to visit Hereford House two or three times a month. That was until a certain dinner there made me turn elsewhere. So did the other patrons who ordered their special.

When I wrote them an e-mail to let them know, I got nothing in response. Customer service like this deserves an appropriate response, and my response was to take my parties to another restaurant. In the last month we have eaten at this other restaurant four times, and each time we go there, we are more than happy with the food, the service and the ambiance.

The smoking ban isn’t to blame for Hereford’s loss of business. A questionable product accompanied by poor customer service and COMPETITION is really the reason.

M. Binke Miller,

Seattle