"Artist David Hockney has said he loathes the Labour government for interfering in his life by introducing the smoking ban. The 72-year-old, who is a lifelong smoker, is backing a cross-party group of MPs who want the ban to be relaxed to allow people to light up in designated rooms in pubs. Hockney told the BBC's Politics Show that he was appalled to find that his local cafe in East Yorkshire no longer even allowed people to smoke at tables outside because they were frightened that smoke would waft inside and breach the law." - Press Association
"We have seen rights issues come thick and fast in recent weeks, and there are more to come. It is only a matter of time before the pub groups Enterprise Inns and Mitchells & Butlers tap shareholders for extra cash. The good news is that investors — many of whom called for these companies to make their balance sheets more leveraged in the good times — are still prepared to support them. And there has also been surprisingly little demand for change at management level as the price of raising more cash." - Sunday Times
"New research published in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research suggests that clusters of rural pubs are linked to poor mental health of local residents and an increased risk that they will commit suicide. The team behind the study of suicides and attempted suicides in rural communities across California between 1995 and 2000 even suggested that people should take into account the number of places which sell alcohol near their home when they consider moving to the country. Researchers said that there was a strong association between public houses and the risk that people would go on to take their own lives." - Daily Telegraph