What the papers say - July 3, 2007

One of Britain's biggest pub groups Greene King has dismissed concerns about the smoking ban and said that sales on the day it came into force were higher than a year ago. It came as the group's shares surged nearly seven per cent on record full-year profits and plans for an additional £100 million share buy-back programme - The Times ​

Greene King announced it would spend £100m buying back its shares, on top of the £28m already acquired, and said it was seeking a joint venture partner to unlock the property value of 35 per cent of its pub estate - Financial Times ​

Scottish and Newcastle, the owner of Kronenbourg and Foster's, warned that first half profits would be lower than last year due to falling UK beer sales, wet weather and higher commodity costs - Financial Times ​

Thousands of pubs and offices across the country received a visit from a smoking inspector yesterday without a single fine or caution being issued, despite numbers of pub landlords continuing to flout the ban - Daily Telegraph ​

Greene King this morning became the latest pub group to respond to investor pressure to unlock the value of its property portfolio by looking to set up a joint venture - Daily Telegraph​

Brewing giant Scottish & Newcastle has warned that operating profit for the first half will be lower than expected, as UK sales have been hit by the recent bad weather and rising costs - Daily Telegraph ​

Six food manufacturing plants are to be axed with the loss of 580 jobs after the £1.2bn takeover of RHM by the Oxo and Branston Pickle group Premier Foods - The Independent ​

Punters will be able to play live TV bingo with a £100,000 jackpot from tonight. NetPlay TV, which is claiming a "world first", reckons the smoking ban will help make Big Box Bingo a winner - Daily Mirror​

SMIRNOFF vodka and Johnnie Walker whiskymaker Diageo was toasting a sales success after drinkers acquired a taste for luxury spirits. The firm, which also brews Guinness, saw sales rise by six per cent in the six months to June - Daily Mirror​

Drinker Kerry Morgan has got round the cig ban at his local — by building a pub at home. Friends can light up as the bar — named after a late pal — is not licensed and all drinks are free - The Sun​

Drinkers are toasting Kimberley Parnaby — who is Britain's youngest pub landlady at just 19. Kimberley has only been old enough to legally drink for a year. But she has now reopened a run-down boozer and turned it into a thriving business - The Sun​

A flamboyant millionaire nightclub owner vowed to beat the smoking ban as he lit up in his club in defiance of the new law. David West, who owns lap dancing club Hey Jo in Jermyn Street, London, was joined by a handful of patrons who also smoked inside the premises - Western Mail​