The Enforcers

THERE will be no ifs' or butts' if people are caught smoking at work and in public places when new laws come into force this summer.

From July 1, council environmental health enforcement officers will be able to hand out on-the-spot fines of £50 to smokers who flout the law and take court action against businesses, including pubs, clubs and restaurants, workplaces and public transport.

Although it will be an offence to smoke in smoke-free places, it will also be the responsibility of those who manage such premises to prevent people smoking.

But councils throughout Worcestershire have teamed up with the Worcestershire Primary Care Trust and the Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service to offer support, and help residents quit the habit before the new laws come into place.

Worcester city council leader, Coun Simon Geraghty, said: "We are here to give help and advice on how businesses can meet the new requirements and our environmental health officers are working with their colleagues in councils across the county to look at ways in which they can best enforce the new law to make it consistent throughout Worcestershire.

"We will aim to adopt a balanced and measured approach, offering help and assistance to businesses to ensure they comply with the legislation with the back-up of enforcement if that's necessary."

Employers may need to introduce or change a smoking policy and no smoking' signs will also be required at public entrances to buildings and in vehicles. Free signs are available to businesses via www.smokefreeengland.

co.uk where help in developing a smoking policy is also on offer from Smoke Free Worcestershire.

Mike Deakin, acting joint director of public health from Worcestershire Primary Care Trust, said: "If you are a smoker then quitting smoking is the single most important thing you can do for your own health and that of others around you "Last year, we supported 3,194 people to give up smoking in Worcestershire, and Worcestershire smoking advice service officers are available with support for those who need it."

Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service has further advice. Group manager Chris Blake said: "Anyone who is not convinced about the benefits of going smoke-free should note that the tip of a cigarette burns at around 700C and, smoking-related materials are a major cause of fires."

Further information will be available on Worcester city council's website at www.cityofworcester.gov.uk and anyone who would like advice regarding the legislation, licensing or planning issues relating to the new laws can call the customer services centre on 01905 722233.

For those who wish to stop smoking, free local advice and support is available from Worcestershire Smoking Advice Service on 01905 760222.

The Smokers

Unsurprisingly, smokers don't seem to be to keen on the forthcoming ban.

Van driver Peter Reece, aged 60, of Moreland Road, Droitwich, has been smoking for the last 45 years and believes the ban will "take the fun" out of going to the pub.

He said: "I'm not very pleased about the ban. Part of the fun is going there to have a cigarette and a pint. When you drink, you want to smoke more. I shall have to go to outside areas to smoke, which will be OK in July but not good in December.

"It's like Big Brother watching over us again."

But though some smokers will use the ban as a reason to quit the habit, Peter doesn't think he will give up.

"I would have to have something else like patches but I don't fancy that. I did give it up once - but it only lasted six months," he said.

Tonia Cable, 40, of The Tything, Worcester, is a social smoker who goes to her local three or four times a week for a glass of wine and a cigarette.

"I think the smoking ban is going to affect a lot of businesses unless they provide an outdoor heated patio area for smokers to enjoy a cigarette," she said.

"At least half of the locals in the pub smoke so unless somewhere is provided for us to smoke then we will go elsewhere to a pub that will have some facilities for us.

"They say that there are more people now who don't smoke than smoke, but I personally feel that more smokers actually use a pub on a regular basis.

"It won't stop me from smoking but it may help me to cut down if I have to go outside in the winter. But as the ban is coming in through the summer months it probably wont start affecting people and their business until the winter months.

"I don't know why they just can't have separate rooms for smokers and if they are worried about the staff passive smoking, only employ people who smoke or are not bothered by smoke to staff these smoking rooms.

"If everybody was to give up smoking, the government would have to find another way of taxing us."

John Murray, aged 55, of St Peter's, Worcester, also said a total ban in public places was unreasonable.

"I accept that non-smokers do not want to breathe others' smoke and that's OK, but smokers ought to be provided with areas set aside where they could smoke when in a public place - like smoking rooms," he said.

"This legislation is being brought in because the government wants to be seen to be doing the right thing as far as the non-smoking majority of the electorate is concerned - you could argue it's just a vote-grabbing thing, same as their half-hearted attempts to be seen as green."

But Mr Murray said he wouldn't be giving up because of the ban - if anything stops him, he said it would be the price.

The Pubs

Drinkers wanting to light up in Worcester once the smoking ban is introduced may find themselves standing out on the pavement.

While landlords with car parks and gardens build shelters to accommodate smokers, those without outdoor spaces or in listed buildings say their customers will have to stand on the street when the ban comes in on Sunday, July 1.

And there is concern that drinkers crowding outside city centre bars could cause an obstruction to traffic and pedestrians.

Kim Bowling, landlady of The Cricketers in Worcester's Angel Street, said: "I'm very worried as we only have one front door that leads on to the footpath and road. In the evening that road is filled with parked cars, taxis, buses going past and boy racers."

Mrs Bowling said three quarters of her customers smoked and they weren't happy about the ban.

"We did apply for a small awning outside last June but the council refused as we are a listed building," she said. "We also will need permission for a stub bin to be put outside."

Mrs Bowling added that smokers would have to abandon their drinks before going outside to smoke because the city centre is a no-drinking area.

Chairman of the Worcestershire Licensed Victuallers Association Mike Stevens said: "For those without a space that they can adapt, they could be in serious problems."

However not all bars are concerned.

Sian Handley, manager of RSVP, on The Cross, said: "We hope to have a small outside area built anyway which will coincide with the ban. But we just think it's a good idea. It will just bring in more people who don't smoke."

Despite its location on the corner of two busy roads and the fact that it has no outdoor area, the bosses of O'Neill's are also optimistic.

Jenny Grant, PR officer for O'Neill's, said: "We're not particularly worried as everyone is in the same boat. The ban comes in summer so by the time it comes round to winter people will be used to going outside."

Of the five city pubs that applied to Worcester City Council for planning permission to build a smoking shelter, just three have been granted permission - the Oak Apple in Spetchley Road, the Glover's Needle in Windermere Drive, Warndon, and the Blackpole Inn in Blackpole Road.

The Portobello Inn in Bransford Road, St John's, withdrew its application after planners said there would be too much noise and the proposed shelter was too big.

The Sebright Arms in London Road also withdrew its applications after planning officers said the shelter would have been inaccessible for disabled customers and would have taken up car parking spaces.

The Businesses

Some businesses in Worcester have taken the bull by the horns and already banned smoking ahead of the July 1 deadline.

Vamix, in Lower Broadheath, which makes frozen pastry products ready for baking, banned smoking anywhere on its premises,even outside, on January 1.

But in preparation, last August bosses invited an occupational health practitioner to give coaching and support to smokers. And it seems to have worked.

Many staff took up the offer, with some quitting for good and the rest significantly reducing the number of cigarettes they smoke each day.

Sally Southall, the occupational health practitioner who has been helping the smokers at Vamix to quit the habit, says she was surprised at how successful the initiative had been.

Sally, who runs Worcester-based consultancy Pulse, said: "I thought it would be harder than it seems to have been for the staff as they went from having a smoking room and being able to go outside to having absolutely nowhere to smoke.

"They also work long shifts so they had to be even more determined.

"But this has been a great initiative and I'm amazed that more companies haven't introduced similar things.

"The smoking ban in public places is coming whether we like it or not so to be able to give up beforehand can only be a good thing."

Worcester Bosch has also been helping employees kick the habit in time for July by running a six week quit' campaign which included motivational talks and weekly meetings with an occupational health therapist.

Meanwhile, at Worcestershire County Cricket Club, a ban was introduced at the beginning of April.

Club chief executive Mark Newton said: "We do believe the new legislation will be self-policing but by introducing our new ground regulations early, we can take a softly, softly approach before the law comes into effect on July 1."

For those businesses that haven't thought too much about the forthcoming ban, help is at hand from Peter Hill, Smoke Free Worcestershire co-ordinator, who is trying to make sure firms are aware of the looming change of law.

He said: "There is also a free two-day course available where members of staff can be trained to support their colleagues to give up.

"Companies that promote giving up are supporting a fit and productive workforce. It's a win-win situation."

For advice on introducing new workplace policies on smoking, call Mr Hill on 01905 733258.