Mel Smith backs down in smoke row

Comedian Mel Smith has decided against flouting the Scottish smoke ban after licensing officials in Edinburgh stepped in.

Reports say licensing officials threatened the entertainment licence of the theatre where Smith is playing Winston Churchill - a character Smith said needed his cigars.

Yesterday Smith was photograqphed giving a two fingered salute to the ban by smoking at the Assemblly Rooms in rehearshals for his role in Allegiance.

However, he performed a very un-Churchillian surrender by backing down at the last minute when the venue's license was threatened.

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Your Comments​Robert Feal-Martinez​ via email 08/08/2006"I would love to know under what legal authority the threat to the licence was made. Whilst I do not profess to understand Scottish Licensing Law, I don't believe it is substantially different to the old on licence system, which certain didn't contain anything about smoking. Perhaps MA could find out. Sounds again like 'Mafia' style politics to me. Just like the apparent intimidation of Alan Bowes of Swallow by the Scottish Executive. I have a document staing his licenses would be under threat if he did not back away from the Judicial Review. Don't you just love modern Politics. If the SE are so confident the ban is wanted what is there problem. Still there's an election next year. Most of the Jobs worth will be jobless."

Richard Elsy​ via email 08/08/2006"Regarding the Mel Smith cigar story in Scotland - I am more than ever convinced that we are sleep-walking into a dictatorship. For the local authorities to blindly threaten a ban on the venue under these circumstances is not only appalling but seriously disturbing. How on earth is Mel Smith supposed to portray Winston Churchill without his cigars? I have to assume that Churchill's attachmnet to Cognac will be similarly censored in the near future."

Dave​ via email, 08/08/2006So Mel Smith needs a cigar to make his Churchill impression convincing... doesn't say much about his impression then does it.

Thank god he's not doing a Gary Glitter impression.......

David Pott, Market Inn, Faversham.​ via email, 10/08/2006At least Mel Smith did manage to bring the smoking ban to the public attention.

Most of the general public think the ban will just affect pubs few are aware that it will effect everywhere.