A ban on smoking in pub gardens and outdoor restaurants is being considered as part of a drive to phase out tobacco, according to leaked government documents this week.
Secret Whitehall papers revealed plans to extend the indoor smoking ban to public outdoor areas including pub gardens, restaurant terraces, outside hospitals and sports grounds. The tighter restrictions are being proposed as part of a government clampdown on the sale of tobacco, which included the introduction of the Tobacco and Vapes Bill earlier this year, although this fell through just before the last election.
The King’s speech last month promised to revive legislation that would raise the age at which people are able to buy tobacco, outlawing its sale to anyone born on or after January 2009.
Asked about the leaked plans, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer did not confirm or deny the plans, but confirmed that the government would be looking at tougher outdoor smoking rules.
‘My starting point on this is to remind everybody that over 80,000 people lose their lives every year because of smoking,’ he said.
‘That is a preventable death, it’s a huge burden on the NHS and, of course, it is a burden on the taxpayer. So, yes, we are going to take decisions in this space, more details will be revealed, but this is a preventable series of deaths and we’ve got to take action to reduce the burden on the NHS and the taxpayer.’
Health experts have welcomed the plans, with the director of policy at the NHS Confederation, Layla McCay, commenting that she’s ‘obviously in favour of measures that help abolish smoking.
‘We have seen from the previous government – and from this current government and indeed from wider society – this strong commitment to move towards abolishing smoking.
‘It is absolutely the health challenge of our time. It’s the leading cause of preventable illness in the UK, so we are heartened to see that progress is being made and that the intention is moving forward to really address one of Britain’s main drivers of health inequalities.’
However, the BBC reported that there is still some opposition within parliament, with ministers concerned about the impact the ban will have on the hospitality sector.
Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade group UK Hospitality, has warned government officials to tread with care. ‘This needs to be thought through very carefully before we damage businesses and economic growth and jobs’, she explained on BBC4’s Today programme.
The measures are thought to extend to banning smoking in shisha bars, outside clubs, children’s playgrounds and small parks. It is also not clear whether the potential ban would cover the whole of the UK or just England.
In other restaurant news, have a read about why people are getting seriously wound up at Gail’s moving to Walthamstow.
