PUB landlords have slammed the Government's proposed smoking ban in public places, claiming it will hit trade badly.

It comes as the British Medical Association published research this week indicating nine out of 10 Worcester pubs would be affected by the ban.

The Government is expected to announce legislation in next week's Queen's Speech which will outlaw smoking in most enclosed public places by the end of 2008.

But Richard Appleton, landlord of The Dragon Inn in The Tything, hit out at the move, claiming it to be another infringement on civil liberties.

"I think it's silly. We aren't a smoky pub anyway as we have air filters and extractor fans, but there about 15 per cent of our regulars who do smoke but it doesn't annoy anyone else.

"It's another example of the nanny state gone mad."

Plans to ban smoking in all restaurants and pubs which serve food were unveiled in a White Paper on public health last November.

John Reid, then Health Secretary, estimated this would cover between 70 and 90 per cent of pubs.

A survey by the BMA suggests Worcester will be in the high end of this estimate, having only 17 out of 137 city pubs that do not prepare food. 88 per cent of pubs do serve food.

Ray Brierley, area manager for Birch Taverns - which runs the Exchange and Slug And Jug pubs in Cornmarket - said the decision should be up to individuals and not the Government.

"The Exchange is a big drinking pub so if the ban comes in it'll have a big effect as there's no drinking on the streets so if people go outside for a cigarette they can't take their drink out."

Worcester City Council was one of 29 town or city authorities to take part in the BMA's survey.

But its head of science and ethics, Dr Vivienne Nathan-son, cast doubt on the practicality of the ban.

"A number of the councils have told us the Government's proposals are unenforceable."

n THE police have put publicans in Worcestershire on the alert over a possible nationwide scam.

It follows three pubs in the county being targeted by a man with a Scottish accent trying to borrow money over the telephone. One involved cash being handed over to an un-suspecting taxi driver acting as a courier.

"The approaches, while unusual, are fairly plausible as they are linked to the man saying he intends to use the pubs for a future occasion," said a police spokesman.