More than half of customers who have been hypnotised to stop smoking at an Essex pub have given up cigarettes as a result.
Now licensee Mike Mitchell is planning to run the course a second time at the Endeavour in Chelmsford with the help of Harley Street hypnotherapist Peter Moule.
"Out of the nine people who did the course in March, six have given up completely," he said. "Two - including me - have cut down from 35 to 40 cigarettes a day to 10. And just one has fallen off the wagon, and that happened straight after the course!"
The licensee has little opportunity to construct a smoking area at the pub - as it is in the middle of a traffic island. As a result he is hoping to convert as many of his smoking customers as possible to non-smokers, to ensure they keep coming back to the pub after July 1.
Mike described the course itself as very relaxing.
"You know exactly what's happening," he said. "You go into a deep state of relaxation, and he tells you what you are doing to your body when you are smoking, and how it is a drug and an addiction."
The licensee got the idea of running the courses - which cost customers £70 - after he used pub regular Peter to cure him of a fear of flying last year.
He is already limiting smoking in the pub to its small saloon bar and is also refurbishing his kitchen and dining area in an attempt to step up food trade after the ban.
"Pubs can't leave preparing for the smoking ban until the last minute. I'm sure we'll lose some trade but we're doing everything we can to make sure we survive."