Petition to: amend the smoking ban to allow a limited number of smoking licenses to be obtained by owners of pubs, restaurants and clubs from their local council.

THE SMOKING BAN (personal comments by Mel Ashton)

As a 67 year old non-smoker, (never-smoked, other than at secondary school !), I have not been too concerned with the smoking ban - however, I SHOULD HAVE BEEN.

Though a non-smoker myself, smoking does not bother me - providing that the smoker does not hold the cigarette away from his / herself and allows the smoke to drift directly into my face !

Indeed, as a regular pub & club visitor, I feel that the atmosphere has diminished in most establishments as a result of the ban. Remember that many older pubs had a 'Smoke Room' - titled as such - usually on a frosted glass door panel.

Obviously most, if not all, would support the smoking ban in areas where food is consumed

Smokers & Non-Smokers - Please Sign this No10 petition ** NOW CLOSED
Then, please email this petition to your address book contacts:
www.melashton.co.uk/smoking
Highlight (mouseover), then right click and Copy these 4 lines and paste into this email.

The petition reads:

We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to amend the smoking ban to allow a limited number of smoking licenses to be obtained by owners of pubs, restaurants and clubs from their local council. (a link to more information is available on the petition web page)

Submitted by Bill Hayes – Deadline to sign up by: 23 October 2008

Signatures	Date	Approx Increase / Day
5,571	End of petition 23/10/08	7
4,796	6th July, 2008	11 We must do better !
4,049	30th April, 2008	14
3,731	8th April, 2008	18
3,569	30th March, 2008	25 Please tell everyone !!
3,395	23rd March, 2008	31 (Easter)
3,209	17th March, 2008	34
3,175	14th March, 2008	24
2,739	25th February, 2008

Melvin Ashton, (Outwood, Wakefield, Yorkshire), 25th February, 2008

Email: Mel

Web: www.melashton.co.uk

THIS PAGE: www.melashton.co.uk/smoking

More Information (from the petition creator)

And yet more information !

Please Click Here to Print Petition Information for your friends ?

Typical responses from a quick web search:

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

A 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.”

Single-room pubs in a German state will be able to ignore the smoking ban, a court has ruled.

The Constitutional Court of Rhineland-Palatinate ruled in favour of a group of bar owners who claimed they would go out of business when the ban comes into effect on 15 February.

The ban in Rhineland-Palatinate allows smoking areas that are closed off but five one-room bar owners claimed they were being discriminated against because they could not create a smoking area, according to Bloomberg.

The court accepted that 80% of their customers were smokers and they would lose business but rejected a complaint from a smoker that the ban impinges on his personal liberty.

The bars will now be allowed to put up a sign declaring themselves a smoking venue until a final ruling is made.

Pro-Smoking Website (with link to YouTube Movie) Mel's Home Page