Smoking ban fears increase

Licensees have been told to register their charter compliance on the national database - or risk a total smoking ban in the future.

The government wants to know how many pubs are charter compliant by the end of the year and with six months to go Atmosphere Improves Results (AIR) has warned publicans "if we don't know about you, you don't count".

AIR is calling for licensees who have complied with the Public Places Charter on smoking to let it know they have signed up and register on the database.

The group fears many outlets have acted to comply but have not yet registered, meaning they will not count when the government reviews charter compliance levels at the end of the year.

If the trade fails to reach agreed targets for compliance, ministers may decide on tougher regulation or even a complete ban - as has happened in some parts of the United States and South Africa.

"Collating information on this scale is a very difficult task," said AIR spokesman Oliver Griffiths.

"We want the government to know about every last venue displaying a sign in order to meet the challenging targets it has set by the end of the year."

Fifty per cent of pubs, bars and restaurants must display a sign indicating their smoking policy before the end of this year.

Of those, 35 per cent should be the "good practice" signs, which indicate the pubs have non-smoking areas and/or charter-standard ventilation.

The industry is on course to meet the signage target but, according to AIR, very few of the venues with "good practice" signs have registered their compliance.

To become charter compliant pubs must display a sign informing customers of their smoking policy whether it is smoking allowed throughout or in a separate area, with or without ventilation.

Earlier this year the charter was criticised by the Greater London Authority. It said it was "unambitious" and its standards were "too low".

But the trade hit back and said the situation was improving daily with hundreds of pubs now complying with the charter and more signing up every week.

Publicans can register their compliance by visiting the website at www.airinitiative.com or by calling AIR on 020 7482 0620.

Related articles:​

UK fears as Norway looks at smoke ban (15 May 2002)

Republic of Ireland barstaff vote for smoke ban (9 May 2002)

Industry groups hit back at GLA smoke claim (23 April 2002)

GLA attacks 'ineffective' smoke charter (11 April 2002)

Smoke report finds inconsistency in charter compliance (2 April 2002)