Locals petition Parliament for smoke ban exemption

By John Harrington

- Last updated on GMT

Related tags Sociology

Locals petition Parliament for smoke ban exemption
Customers at a Lancashire pub have petitioned Parliament to let them smoke in their local. Petitions are a formal written request to Parliament that...

Customers at a Lancashire pub have petitioned Parliament to let them smoke in their local.

Petitions are a formal written request to Parliament that can be presented formerly by an MP.

This petition from 93 customers of the Swan Hotel in Bacup, Rossendale, "declares that the smoking ban is having an adverse effect on the social structure and enjoyment within their local pub; they consider it a valuable asset within the local community.

"The Petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urges the Government to introduce amending legislation to provide for the landlord of the Swan Hotel placing a sign on his door depicting the pub as a 'smoking establishment' giving customers the right to choose whether to enter or not."

The Petition was presented by local Labour MP Janet Anderson, who said: "The Swan hotel regulars tell me that since the ban was introduced at least a good third of their social friends have stopped coming as a direct result, and the social atmosphere in the pub has drastically diminished.

"Smokers and non-smokers alike are finding that the ban serves no purpose whatever, other than nibbling away at the social cohesion that has taken many years to evolve."

Terry Egan, freehold licensee of the Swan Hotel, said: "The smoking ban has had a disastrous effect on trade. I would say our takings are down by at least 40%.

"It has totally effected the community and the pub. Customers are reluctant to come down and stand outside.

"I really don't see why they couldn't have had the option of allowing smoking so long as we said outside that this is a smoking outlet and we would give the public the option.

"It's ridiculous. This is supposed to be a democracy. It's more like a dictatorship."

Related topics Legislation

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