Smoke ban rebels defy councils to fight on

Smoke ban rebels Hamish Howitt and Nick Hogan are vowing to continue to fight on despite enduring battles to save their pubs after wrangles with their councils.

Howitt is facing a review of the premises licence at Delboy's Sports Bar in Blackpool on the grounds the licensing objectives of "prevention of crime and disorder" and "protection of children from harm" are not being promoted at the venue. A hearing will be held on October 19.

Blackpool Council has also issued Howitt with six improvement notices, which each carry a fine of up to £20,000 or two years imprisonment if there is non-compliance.

Howitt, who is due to appear at Blackpool magistrates court on November 5 for allegedly flouting the smoking ban, claims Blackpool Council is trying to "harass" him. "They are trying to shut me down before November 5," he said.

However a spokeswoman for Blackpool Council said: "The council is definitely not harassing Mr Howitt, simply fulfilling its duty to ensure compliance with legislation.

"If anyone else was acting in the same manner, the same action would be taken."

Meanwhile as The Publican went to press Nick Hogan was fighting to be re-installed as the licensee of the Swan Hotel and the neighbouring Barristers bar in Bolton, Lancashire.

Hogan was temporarily locked out the pub on Friday September 21 after the owner, former Provence chief Paul Kiely, changed the locks on the basis Hogan had breached the terms of his lease. Kiely's son Ryan was then installed as licensee of the pub.

However following a hearing at the High Court in Manchester on the same day, Hogan won the right to gain access to the premises, claiming he had not breached the terms of the lease.

Hogan, who is due in court on November 12 for alleged

breaches of the smoking ban, told The Publican: "I'm

not walking away from this.

"We are still trading and we envisage doing so for the near

future."