Licensees urged to check smoking shelter compliance

Licensees are being urged to examine smoking shelters before they buy them, to check they are compliant with legislation.

Concerns have been raised about compliance in the wake of the ban, because some suppliers are launching products which fail to meet the government guidance of being 50 per cent open.

Ian Gray, principal policy officer at the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, said licensees should always check shelters themselves.

"The general advice we would offer on all such products advertised for use as 'smoking shelters' is the usual let the buyer beware. Even where a product states that it can be used for a particular purpose, you still have a duty to ensure for yourself that you can in fact use it without breaking the law."

One inflatable pub supplier has been forced to review his marketing after LACORS, the local authority co-ordinating body, and Smokefree England said his inflatable marquees were unsuitable for use as smoking shelters.

Bay Tree Events, on its website PopUpPub.com, was advertising the inflatable marquees in the style of an old English pub under the strapline "Public Smoking Ban - Add The Pop Up Pub to your pub garden and provide a fun, waterproof environment for your smoking customers."

The website also carried the Smokefree England logo until it was removed last week following pressure from The Publican.

Marcus Stevenson, director of Bay Tree Events, said he was unaware the shelters did not comply.

"I've not yet launched the product at all yet, and it's actually just a recreational marquee," he said.

"What was just a flash in the pan idea is obviously not going to continue."