Trade wants July smoke ban says BBPA

Health Minister Caroline Flint has been told by trade bodies that the Government should aim to introduce a smoke ban on 1 July next year, the Morning Advertiser has learnt.

A unified message was presented to Flint this week by British Beer & Pub Assocciation chief executive Rob Hayward, who had been authorised to speak on behalf of all leisure sector trade bodies.

Please give us a clear date for the start of the ban. Everybody in Scotland knew the date a long time ahead.​British Beer & Pub Assocciation chief executive Rob Hayward.

Hayward told Flint: "Please give us a clear date for the start of the ban. Everybody in Scotland knew the date a long time ahead." ​

The Health Minister was also told that smoke ban guidance should appear no later than mid-July to allow the trade to prepare properly.

Hayward said that the Government could simply adopt the Scottish regulations to make life easier.

"The message was, "please, please, please give us the regulations as quickly as possible. Local authorities and the industry need them." ​

Hayward told Flint that being given the regulations in bits and pieces would be preferable to not having sight of them at all.

The Health Minister was also told that the industry believes that no-smoking signage was not needed.

Hayward told Flint was the sector thought that putting signs outside pubs, hotels and restaurants was as appropriate as signage "outside No 10 Downing Street".

"We don't want signage but the smaller the sign the better,"​ said Hayward.

"And if possible, signs should not have words."​ Hayward also impressed upon Flint the need for Government to embark on a proper education campaign to ensure the public was aware of the timing of the ban.

He admitted that a number of operators had made it clear to him that they would be happy with an earlier start date than 1 July 2007.

"Let's just get on with it is their view,"​ Hayward said.

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Your Comments​Robert Feal-Martinez​ via email 15/06/2006"So all Mark Hastings previous protestations in another place that the BBPA didn't protend to speak for the industry, but just their members is finally revealed. How dare they speak for me and thousands like me. We do not want a ban, we certainly do not want the Scottish Regulations, they are a complete and utter mess. What planet are these people on. Does Hayward have any idea what is going on in Scotland, even the BBPA's own Scottish section lacks direction. I have made a number of suggestions to them about challenging LA's on their(LA's) complete disregard of the rules of planning. etc. If Mr Hayward believes it would be OK to have the Scottish regulations he clearly doesn't speak to his own colleagues on the ground in Scotland. What we all at the sharp end want is preferably an amended ban as per Lord Steele's amendment, or the ban delayed to 2008, which I thought was the collective view a couple of months ago. These trade leaders are worse than the politicians for claiming they speak for the public, and changing their minds.

Kevin O'Connor​ via email 15/06/2006"These trade "leaders" are really pushing to get their gongs. They do not and never have spoken for me.

And whilst I have still have a backbone never will."

Donald Stone​ via email 16/06/2006"I think it is disgusting that our so called Goverment can tell us how to run our businesses over this smoking ban when it is very clear that they cannot even run the country very well at all.

Dont they think that when they gave the MP'S the vote on smoking they should have asked the people who elected them what their opion was on this matter, my Public house is total none food and just a wet pub that has no car park or garden at all, this will probley close my Pub down.

The public should have been given the vote on this matter, it is about time the public stood up to be counted and reminded the Goverment it is us who put them there and it is also us that pay their big big wages.

They wounder why a lot of us will be going abroad to live.

I could go on for a lot more but like every thing else they think because they are MP's they can do, and always do as they like, it is about time this was stopped by the people.

Also small letters like this never seem to get printed."

Pete Harvey​ via email 16/06/2006"Its alright for the pubs who are able to set out nice areas with shelter outside for the new out cast of society the smoker, but what about pubs like mine? 1500 feet above sea level, low cloud for at least four months of the year and the wind never stops, who is going to compensate me for the loss of my business?"

Guy Sankey​ via email 16/06/2006"Sooner the better, Jan 2007 would be perfect."

Mike W​ via email 16/06/2006"On what planet do these posters live? Do they really believe that the smoke ban will not come in? Perhaps they do, in which case they speak for no-one but themselves. Ostriches and sand come to mind!

The ban is coming and the our planning for it will be made the easier by knowing the content of the regulations and the implementation date as early as possible. That's what any right minded licensee wants and we should all thank the BBPA for demanding it."

Paul Andrew​ via email 16/06/2006"Reference the story about the BBPA asking for a smoking ban to be implemented by July next year:

The BBPA do not represent myself of thousands of other publicans who are not eligable for membership due to the fact that we only run one or maybe a few pubs.

The BBPA represent pubco's & brewers.

The BBPA do not speak for me & I resent them saying that they do , & that represent the majority of the trade. I can assure you that if you asked the landlords / ladies running these pubs the results of this announcement would be very different.

They sound like the politicians they rub shoulders with."