Licensees are being urged to replace smoking charter stickers with more permanent signs after fears that many are being peeled off or taken down by mistake.
The Atmosphere Improves Results (AIR) initiative, which has been promoting the charter, says its figures suggest many pubs that have signed up to the charter, which recommends the use of signage with no-smoking areas and ventilation where possible, have since lost their stickers.
If the stickers are not in place, these outlets will fail checks by AIR and will not count towards the 2003 50 per cent compliance target agreed with ministers.
Maureen Heffernan of the Laurel Pub Company, a long-time supporter of the charter, said: "We discovered that some of the charter stickers on our pubs were coming down so we decided to replace them with permanent signs. These carry our branding and communicate clearly our commitment to good practice. We hope that others follow our lead on this."
Oliver Griffiths, spokesman for AIR, said: "Licensees are busy people and replacing a lost sticker is probably not their top priority; but there must be a sign displayed for customers to see. It's as simple as that.
"Almost everyone feels good about the charter but it still isn't embedded in the business processes of many companies. We need to make sure that business development managers and area managers look out for pubs where the signs are missing and replace them as a matter of course."
Nick Bish, chairman of the trade's charter group, praised the approach taken by Laurel and some other groups. "They've had the sense and commitment to invest a bit of time and money like this and they can be pretty sure that their pubs will remain charter compliant," he said.
"Punch Pub Company has taken a similar approach providing all of its licensees with framed policy certificates. It is simple stuff but makes a big difference to how well the charter works. Other companies should follow their lead."
For more information call AIR on 020 7482 0620 or visit www.airinitiative.com .