Firms failing to stub out smoking
ALMOST a third of businesses are failing to comply with new laws banning smoking in enclosed public places, The News can reveal.
Today marks one month since the landmark law change came into force.
However, more than 3,000 businesses are still failing to display smoke-free signs – now a legal requirement.
Council enforcement officers, who made the estimate from a snapshot of businesses checked since July 1, say many people still do not understand the law.
Pubs, restaurants and workplaces that continue to ignore the ban face prosecution and fines of up to 1,000.
In Fareham, businesses were further confused by a council blunder meaning the ban was not passed until last Thursday – so smokers could still light up without fear of prosecution.
Enforcement officers have so far taken a 'softly softly' approach but a crackdown is imminent, with plans for undercover patrols looking for illegal smoking and handing out official warnings if the problem continues.
One Portsmouth nightclub boss, who has not been named, rang a council-run hotline to announce it would ignore the ban because the majority of its customers wanted to smoke.
'We had to remind them it's against the law,' said city council environment health manager Mike Rimington.
'A lot of the calls we're getting seem to be complaints and queries from people who don't understand the ban. We've also had calls about people smoking outside and smoke wafting back into buildings.'
Barry Kewell, the chairman of the Portsmouth Licensed Victuallers' Association and landlord of The Rutland Arms and Northcote Arms in Francis Road, Southsea, estimates pubs have spent up to 5,000 on refurbishments and shelters to keep punters happy.
Some are already reporting a downturn in trade of up to 20 per cent on this time last year. However, the drop is also being blamed on appalling recent weather conditions and rocketing interest rates.
Smoker Derek Hopper, who runs the Royal Exchange, Fawcett Road, Southsea, spent thousands on refurbishments and initially saw a drop in trade.
He said: 'We are starting to get a different type of customer. Sundays were always bad days for trade here but since people have found out about the garden they have started bringing their families here. We're still making a slight loss but things are changing.'
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Weather for Portsmouth
Saturday 26 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 24 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 21 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: South
