Licensee's bid to foil smoking ban stubbed out

A licensee that set up a "smoking research" room to foil the smoking ban has been advised to stop by her landlord.

Kerry Fenton of the Cutting Edge in Worsbrough, South Yorkshire, spotted a loophole in the ban's regulations which allows people to light up indoors for research purposes.

The pub's customers have been allowed to smoke in a designated room once they have filled in a questionnaire.

But owners Punch Taverns has asked Kerry to stop over concerns about its legality.

And Barnsley Council has reportedly told her she has "misunderstood the relevant legislation".

But Kerry said: "Customers absolutely loved it. People started coming to the pub again and socialising together as a community, especially the older generation.

"I don't see why we should not have a smoking room. The room only takes up one third of the whole pub. There was smoking room at the G20 summit, so why not public houses?"

She said the move was an act of desperation, after Punch told her it was planning to sell the lease due to a dive in sales.

"I had no choice," she said. "Business had been getting worse and worse because of the smoking ban. People are stopping in and getting deals on crates of beer from supermarkets."

A spokeswoman for Punch Taverns said: "Punch has requested that our licensee at the Cutting Edge cease activity and we believe this has now been adhered to.

"We have not been heavy handed in this matter but were concerned about the legality of this activity and a breach to the terms of our premises licence."

The Cutting Edge has since been followed by nearby pub the Sheaf, which has also set up a smoking research centre.

Kerry has also joined forces with anti-smoking ban campaigners trying to rouse other licensees to follow her lead. A presentation on how to set up a smoking research centre was held this week in Barnsley.

"Pubs have already started following us and more are going to follow, quite a lot more," she said.