Trade concerned over smoking bylaw scheme
A Buckinghamshire town is attempting to be the first to ban smoking on its streets.
The initiative in Stony Stratford, near Milton Keynes, is backed by senior members of the council. It is proposing a bylaw that would mean anyone lighting up in streets or public areas would be fined. Police community support officers, traffic wardens and the public would be expected to enforce it.
The campaign is being led by local councillor Paul Bartlett, who told the Publican's Morning Advertiser: "My concerns are for the public at large, not for any one particular sector. There are people in the town who think it is acceptable to throw down their cigarette butts.
"If a lot of pubs have their own smoking areas there is no reason why they should let their clients smoke on the high street, which prides itself as being a residents' high street — I'd like to keep it that way."
Commenting on the proposal, Midlands regional secretary of the British Beer & Pub Association, Richard Matthews said: "The industry can ill afford to lose any more customers. I do not think we would like to see an extension of the ban as smokers have probably been squeezed enough."
Simon Clark, head of the Save Our Pubs And Clubs campaign, added: "I think this should concern a lot of publicans as it will create an exclusion zone around pubs and it is already bad enough having people being forced out onto the streets.
"If people can't go out and smoke in the high street there will be less incentive for people to go to the pub. It is vital that an initiative is put in place to nip schemes like this in the bud."
However, the Publican's Morning Advertiser legal editor Peter Coulson said the proposal could be a non-runner. He said: "It is an interesting idea, but I do not think at this stage the council has the power to initiate a smoking ban — it would have to be by primary legislation.
"While councils can legislate on litter issues, I do not believe it is currently in their remit to initiate a blanket smoking ban."
