UK Smoking Ban

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This led to a public debate on the issue, with over 80% of respondents saying they would back a law forbidding smoking in public places. By the end of the year, a bill had been given to the Scottish parliament proposing smoking be banned in all enclosed public places. This bill was passed in June of 2005, and came into affect in March 2006.

The rest of the UK has since decided to follow suite. Wales and Northern Ireland have implemented bans this year and England's came into place on July 1st 2007.

March 2006. The ban in Scotland began last year, and after initial complaints is reported to be going well.

1st July 2007. Initial plans for a smoking ban were scrapped because the government didn't believe they went far enough, but new plans have since been passed. The law came into place in ENgland on the 1st July.

3rd of April 2007. The Welsh government was the first to vote for a full smoking ban, which came into place earlier this year.

30th April 2007. The Republic of Ireland began enforcing a full smoking ban three years ago. NorthernIrelands began on 30th April 2007.

In general, the new law requires all workplaces and enclosed public spaces to be smoke-free. Any members of staff or customers who wish to smoke will need to go outside to do so. The definition of an 'enclosed public space' is any area with a roof that is fully enclosed or more than half the area is enclosed.

The biggest change for business owners is that they are legally required to have no smoking signs displayed. These include signs at the building entrance,failure to adhere to this will result in a fine.

£50 on the spot fineswillbe handed out to customers breaking the no smoking law, and a fine of up to £2,500 to any business owners blatantly allowing them to do so. A business not displaying the now legally required no-smoking signs can be given on the spot fines of £200, but this can rise to £1,000 if it goes to court.

Click here to view Euroffice's Top Tips on preparing for the smoking ban.

Any business such as hotels, bed and breakfasts and boardinghouses are covered by the new law, although the business owner can specifycertain bedrooms where the occupants are allowed to smoke.

However these roomsmust be clearly marked as smoking ones and the smoke must not be allowed todrift into non smoking areas of the premises, such as through a ventilationsystem. Any communal areas such as lounges or breakfast rooms must be keptsmoke free and identified as such by signage.

Any membership club which is classed as being in an enclosedor partially enclosed space is also covered by the law. This includes ones suchas community clubs, golf or snooker clubs, working men's clubs etc.

These are the businesses expected to be hit hardest by thelaw due to the amount of pub going customers that smoke. They now have toensure their customers do not smoke in the premises else they will be liablefor a fine, and most are working on ways to provide smoking shelter outside thepubs for customers.

Owners need to ensure they have all the necessary nosmoking signs displayed in and around the pub, and are likely to need ash binsoutside the entrance since customers will be going outside to smoke.

Prisoners are allowed to smoke within their own cells, butall communal areas must be kept smoke-free.

Any enclosed areas of stadiums will need to be keptsmoke-free and displayed as such.

Under the new law, it is an offense to smoke in anypart of a theatre, including on stage performances. This has been deemednecessary to give the viewing public and the performers the same right tosmoke free air as everybody else.

All public transport must comply with the smoke-free law, including when they are not currently carrying passengers. Any public transportstations, such as train stations, bus depots and bus shelters must also be kept smoke free if fully or partially enclosed.

Airplanes are already kept smoke free as it would cause arisk to the flight, but any airports will now also be covered by this law.

Boats such as floating restaurants and tour boats must bekept smoke free under the new law. For any other vessels it is best to check, since different types of boats are included and excluded in the law. This ismade more complicated by the fact many boats will travel between the waters ofdifferent countries, which may not have the same laws.

Therequirements that must be met for entrance signs are:

Signs which are a minimum of A5 size. (210 x 148mm)

Displays the Internationalno-smoking symbol signs, which is at least 70mm in size.

Displays the words 'No Smoking. It is against the law to smoke in these premises.' (The words 'these premises' may be changed to 'this pub' etc)

It is recommended that a smoke free policy is implemented and that all staff know about it well in advance of the ban so that they get used to it before they face the risk of being fined.

This culture can be encouraged by removing ash trays from the building and where necessary, refusing customers access if they refuse to stop smoking, since ultimately it is the business owner who will get the much larger fine. Businesses which are already smoke free will still be legally required to have no-smoking signs displayed in the workplace.

You are not legally obliged to provide a smoking shelter for your workforce or customers. If you choose to erect a shelter, or place ash bins at the entrance, check with your local planning department before doing so.

Environmental health officials will have powers to inspect premises covered by the new law, and to hand out on the spot fines where necessary.

Click here to view Euroffice's Top Tips on preparing for the smoking ban.

Click here for Euroffice's easy purchase guide.

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Euroffice Top Tips - Preparing for the ban.

Euroffice Guide - Easy Purchase Guide for the Smoking Ban.

Smoke-free England - Legislation information.

UK Smoking Law - Resource Center.

Welsh Smoking Ban

Scottish Smoking Ban