Licensees argue for and against the ban

FOR

Alison Smith, Bar One Nine - a smoke-free pub in Keynsham, Somerset​

"This is a great thing for pubs as it will give everyone a kick to reconsider their retail offer. It can't be ignored that the general public in the UK is moving towards a no-smoking culture. It's no surprise that many publicans like smoking and drinking, but more pubs need to be run for the benefit of their customers.

"Without a shadow of doubt there are more people who would go to pubs if they were smoke-free. A lot of new customers have started coming here since we banned smoking - and they say it is perfect that we offer somewhere they can go without smoke. A lot of them are ladies on their own or young couples.

"This definitely needed to happen - and if it wasn't going to happen now, it would have happened at some stage in the future. This is an emotive issue, and the emotion has completely blinded people to some of the real issues involved.

"People need to reconsider their whole business operation, if they hadn't started doing something about it already. It shouldn't have come as a shock overnight decision to anyone.

"Licensees will have to move the quality of what they do up a level. It's had a positive effect on our business and, even though to some degree Bar One Nine will now lose its unique selling point, you shouldn't be running a business if you are not prepared to deal with a challenge like this."

AGAINST​

Paul Ackland, the Linden Tree, Bursledon, Hampshire ​

"There should have been a public vote. I am a tenant in a local village pub, and I have been here for two-and-a-half years. I would say that 80 per cent of my customers smoke, and the ones who don't have a choice of whether to come into the pub or not. I do not have two physically separate bars but we have a no-smoking policy when food is served in the dining area between 12 noon and 2pm.

"Now I have someone dictating how to run the business that I have built up over the past two-and-a-half years. What is this country coming to? Most people will live a long and happy life, going to the pub after a hard day's work, having a couple of pints and a smoke to unwind.

"To most people it is a way of life passed down to them from their ancestors. Now we are faced with the situation of doing a hard day's work, paying taxes and then going home for a can and a smoke. Or you can break the law in whatever way and get punished by going to prison where you can have a sociable cigarette - what a joke that is. They may as well call it HMP England. We are getting punished more than the prisoners.

"As far as I am concerned it is up to you if you want to go into a pub where people are smoking. I could put a sign up outside saying this is a smoking pub, then it is up to the individual if they want to come in. But now we are being dictated to, you or anybody that comes into your public house will not smoke. Why?"