Pete Robinson: Pub beer sales UP 8% since smoking ban!

The bad news is that this is in Denmark, where smaller premises are exempt. The figures are based on the four-month period after the smoking ban came into force on September 1st compared to the corresponding business period in 2006, as compiled by 'Statistics Denmark'.

The industry organization Horesta said it was surprised over the trend. "In other countries with smoking bans, sales dropped initially," Horesta director Lone Njor Hulth said.

I don't understand why Mrs Hulth is so confused. Smokers have simply migrated from their favourite larger venues to the smaller ones, taking their spending power with them. Some smaller pubs have opted to go non-smoking and good luck to them.

What the Danes still have is freedom of choice, something denied to us Brits by our own nannying, all-controlling government - despite the clear promises laid out in Nu-Labour's 2005 election manifesto.

Government health spokesmen hand-in-hand with the usual suspects, Ash, CRUK et al, would have us believe that smoking bans exactly like ours are sweeping across Europe and will inevitably become the norm worldwide.

This simply isn't true. Every other EU country, with the exception of Ireland, allows fair exemptions which permit businesses to continue and for both smokers and non-smokers to be accommodated.

I'm just off on another trip to Germany where I know I'll be free to join other smokers in most small bars and taverns. If we had it the same way over here the licenced trade wouldn't be in such a desperate crisis and everyone would be happy.

What a petty, vindictive country we live in.