Big Tim has gone over the top this time'

I think the reaction of leaders and letters in the trade press says it all. Big Tim has gone OTT this time and I'm now more convinced than ever that he should not just take a seat further back in the JDW bus but get off the thing altogether and do a bit more walking. I am totally against pubs being forced to ban smoking. I'm a non-smoker and hate cigarette smoke, but banning it would drive thousands of pubs out of business. Licensees of thousands of leased and tenanted pubs operated by big pub companies are hanging on to commercial life by their fingertips, under the pressure of huge rents and high drinks prices. If they can't buy many of their drinks for the price Wetherspoon's are selling theirs, how can they possibly compete? If they suffered a reduction in trade of 10% to 40% ­ for any reason ­ they would go bust very quickly. I can't think of a faster way to make this happen than stopping customers smoking. Hey, maybe this is all a very crafty part of the Big Tim master plan; encourage legislation to clear out even more of the competition to his modern day equivalent to the gin palaces of days gone by, so he can get even more of the market. Yes, it all makes sense now. Good try, Big Tim! I just hope the Government is not that gullible. Gulp­ We only have five pubs, but have invested heavily in air-filtering and air-conditioning equipment. Unfortunately, these don't do all the job required as they need servicing far more frequently than anyone can afford. Targeted ventilation is the necessary addition, to bring in fresh air and expel polluted air. In order to get our pubs as environmentally-perfect as possible, we have asked the leading ventilation companies to survey our pubs, offer design solutions and quote us for the extra equipment needed. Then we will act. Tim Martin is responsible single-handedly for destroying the stability of our industry by causing price wars and the creation of the binge-drinking culture. He's got an incredible brass neck to try to take the lead in stopping it (tongue must be firmly stuck in cheek), but to go on and try to undermine the trade with his no-smoking crap is cynical and stupid beyond belief. Tony Brookes Managing Director Head Of Steam Ltd Big Brother watching is now becoming a reality' I have just received my copy of issue 189 of the Morning Advertiser and have read, with some disgust, the article on Tim Martin of JD Wetherspoon. I own the pub that I am licensee of, and it appears that Mr Martin is trying to tell me that I cannot smoke in my home! I thought I lived in a country where wars were fought so that people can have freedom of speech and minds of their own. It now appears the well-known literary item of George Orwell ­ a book about Big Brother watching you and telling you what you can and can't do ­ is now becoming a reality and not just a well-written story. Mr Martin seems to be able to dictate to everyone. Does he want all the business of offering the public alcohol to be in his pubs alone? He apparently can bend the arms of magistrates as well, because according to another article in this edition, Mr Martin has managed to persuade magistrates to allow three of his public houses to serve alcohol before 11am. I have recently set up a web page on the internet called SIP, www.smokeinpubs.co.uk. This web page allows the smoking public to air their views and criticisms of the way their voices are not being heard by the Government. Can Mr Martin answer a question ­ is he trying to run for Prime Minster of this country? If he is, this is one vote he will not be getting. It is hard enough as it is to eke out a living in the pub trade, but a total ban on smoking in public houses would see the public just popping along to the supermarket, buying some cans and sitting at home, where they can smoke to their hearts' content. Mrs Susan Moss Soho Foundry Tavern Smethwick West Midlands Look after your empire and we'll look after ours' What right has Tim Martin, the outspoken boss of JD Wetherspoon, got to call for a blanket ban on smoking across the trade in two years (Morning Advertiser, 8 April). My husband and I own a beautiful freehouse in a village in north-east Derbyshire. This is an ex-mining village and 75% of our customers smoke. We do not do food ­ unlike JDW. We do not put on cheap alcopops or beer ­ unlike JDW. We don't allow children in ­ but we do have a very good wet trade. If this ban is allowed, I have no doubt that this beautiful country pub, which is so old it used to be a coaching house, will go the way of many other country pubs and we will have to sell up ­ and it will probably finish up as houses or flats. So, Mr Martin, you look after your empire and we'll look after ours ­ small as it is. You are certainly not speaking for us, as we believe that people should be allowed to spend their leisure time as they please ­ not as you dictate. Jim & Diana Fothergill Masons Arms Renishaw Derbyshire Government intervention is not necessary' Tim Martin has certainly enlivened the debate on smoking by proposing that a blanket ban in the trade should be introduced within two years. I am not surprised he is calling on the Govern-ment to act to ban smoking as opposed to unilateral action by JD Wetherspoon. His experience of introducing oversized glasses and later withdrawing them, demonstrated that if you act against the views of the trade in general it can be very costly. There is no doubt that the possibility of a ban on smoking in public places will concentrate the minds of trade associations, and the views of members will need to be conveyed to the Government. That debate will continue within the Guild of Master Victuallers when a motion will be proposed to its annual conference in May. The motion urges the National Parliamentary Committee to approach Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and Public Health Minister Melanie Johnson to emphasise the effect on the trading viability of many licensed premises if a ban is introduced. As a member of the group that supports the Public Places Charter on Smoking, the Guild is of the view that self-regulation is working and Govern-ment intervention, therefore, is not necessary. John Madden CMBII Executive Officer The Guild of Master Victuallers