Pubs crack down on smoking in letting rooms

Related tags Smoking Smoking ban Passive smoking

Pubs with letting rooms are using the implementation of the smoking ban as an opportunity to crack down on the potentially dangerous practice of...

Pubs with letting rooms are using the implementation of the smoking ban as an opportunity to crack down on the potentially dangerous practice of guests smoking in their bedrooms.

Pubs with accommodation businesses have commonly found evidence of guests flouting the ban in rooms designated as non-smoking. There are fears that those desperate for a cigarette, will go to lengths such as covering up smoke alarms, thus causing a fire risk.

However, many licensees have now taken the decision to make all their rooms no-smoking and to introduce measures to stop guests lighting up.

The White Hart, in Wiveliscombe, Taunton, introduced a surcharge to coincide with July 1 that hits guests with a £50 fine if evidence of smoking in its 16 no-smoking rooms is found.

The pub's licensee, Simon Tanner, said: "We have had problems with people smoking in the rooms. They cover up the alarms or even dismantle them. We have tackled that with a £50 surcharge, even though we don't like such draconian measures."

In fact, under the regulations of the ban, smoking may still be allowed in letting rooms, provided they are designated as smoking rooms, because they are classed as private residences.

The Mad Hatter, in Blackfriars, London, made all 30 of its bedrooms no-smoking when the ban arrived. Manager Ian Vernon-Wilson said: "Clearly, people are smoking, hanging out of the windows in their rooms. We can tell because of the butts left around the window.

"We put a high concentration on preventing fire. Clearly, with the curtains, there's a likelihood of fire.

"If it becomes more of a problem, we would have to look at imposing charges for cleaning, or putting something across the windows."

Related topics Legislation

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