I do not see why pubs cannot provide smoke rooms without service bars, which staff would need to visit only infrequently.
The Evening Press is backing the scheme by closing its smoke room from today, while supporting smokers in their efforts to quit.
‘We're not saying you're really bad if you've got a smoke room, we're encouraging organisations to say they want to move to being smoke-free,’ she said.
However, that is not good grounds for opposing the ban the authority intends to impose by closing smoke rooms and refusing to allow employees to light up outside entrances or in courtyards under its ownership.
Smoking was restricted to the smoke room following the move to Walmgate.