Amend smoking ban, save pubs — says new campaign

A new cross-party campaign has called for changes to the smoking ban to help save pubs and clubs.

The aim of the Save Our Pubs & Clubs campaign, launched today at Westminster, is to force an amendment to to allow pubs to have a ventilated smoking room when legislation comes up for review in 2010.

It plans to set up a network of regional groups throughout the country to lobby politicians and raise awareness of the impact the ban has had on the pub trade.

The campaign has already received high profile backing from Anthony Worrall Thompson, patron of the smokers' group Forest.

"The smoking ban has had an extraordinarily detrimental effect on pubs and clubs and you can understand why," he said.

"They used to be bastions of adult entertainment where young and old could meet and chat over a pint without the health police looking over their shoulders. Modern ventilation systems combined with separate rooms make it perfectly acceptable to smoke indoors.

"The legislation as it stands is excessive and I would like to see it amended."

The new campaign is also supported by Forest, the liberal think tank Progressive Vision, the Adam Smith Institute, which champions the free market, and the Manifesto Club which campaigns for "freedom in everyday life".

MPs from the three main parties have also agreed to support the campaign including Conservative Greg Knight, Labour's David Clelland and Lib Dem John Hemming.

"This 'one-size-fits-all' approach of banning smoking everywhere, in every pub and every club across the whole country has hurt the businesses of hard working publicans," said Knight, Conservative MP for East Yorkshire.

"Many people enjoy a smoke free atmosphere. But some don't. Rather than exclude almost half their customers publicans should be free to provide properly ventilated smoking rooms which would improve their service and upset no-one.

"Pub landlords and club committees know best what their customers want and they should be allowed to provide smoking rooms if there is a demand."

• For more information on the campaign visit www.amendthesmokingban.com .