Licensees' party set to fight smoke-ban

A political party led by two Scottish licensees is backing the bid to challenge the Scots smoking ban by appealing over human rights violations.

The Publican Party, which was formed last year in opposition to the impending Scottish smoking ban, has given its support to the legal challenge that is being lodged by London & Edinburgh Inns.

L&E wants to convert its outlets in Scotland into members' clubs, with staff and customers agreeing to work or socialise in an area that allows smoking.

The firm has allocated £250,000 to fight the smoking ban, which comes in on 26 March. It will appeal under the Human Rights Act to argue that people have the right to smoke or work in a place that allows smoking.

The Publican Party's leader Don Lawson, who owns the Johnny Foxes pub in Inverness, is to speak in court in support of L&E's bid.

Party chairman Kit Fraser told the MA that it plans to field

candidates arguing against a ban in the 2007 Scottish Parliamen-tary Elections.

"We are mounting a two-pronged attack - one legal and one political," said Fraser, licensee of the Hootenanny pub in Inverness.

L&E is currently preparing the writ against the Scottish Executive to fight the ban.

The company's executive chairman Alan Bowes said: "The question is, do the Scots hide and not let us have [the hearing] before 26 March? We are hoping they might delay things while they hear us."