sm

Its killing our pub and we're getting complaints from the local residents to the police and the environmental agency due to the increased noise from people being outside. It is completely unworkable for us. We have two bars, it would surely be more sensible to have one designated as non-smoking and offer people the choice. A lot of people are buying cheap alcohol from supermarkets and staying at home with friends. Its killing our pub.

we should have a equal opportunity for everyone with smoking and non smoking bars.

whats happened to the free true brit ... well done to you ..good luck

glad of anybody speaking out against the nanny state shit

I think it's an outrageous infringement of one's civil liberties.

Give pubs and clubs the choice

More power to your elbow. What next from Nanny State - alcohol-free pubs? Pork-free pigs? Let's hope more pro-choice businessmen put their money where their mouth is. Do what thou wilt.

Good on you, take this all the way mate you can do it. Sick of self righteous politicians. And check the science, there's actualy minimal evidence for pasive smoking harming people.

At last someone with the means to defend our human rights. Well done and good luck.

Smoking shelters should be provided. In this instance, it can't be provided.

Give bars, clubs etc the choice, the government should not impose this crass law on every establishment.

Read some G Orwell and A Huxley and you will realise how brainwashing works...Eliminating the very capability of formulating alternative thoughts, depriving people of choices is nothing new. At least stop preaching that it's all for everyone's wellbeing. After that just chose to ignore that i save lives, brought children to this world, have conscience, tend my garden; no, make me a pariah, pillory me and finally shoot me in the head because I sometimes go on a rampage and try to harm fellow human beings by emitting deadly smokes. I wonder though, if cigarette smelt like jasmine would it still be the focus of the moaners' attention?

Good on You. Not being able to smoke ban has already put me off going out. Cigs were introduced and approved by Govt to begin with!!

A dire piece of nannying, intrusive, bullying, intolerant, fascism!

I believe whether a pub is smoking or non-smoking should be left up to the individual pub owners.

Good on you, glad to see that at least there are few people still in this country that don't just sit back, shrug their shoulders and say "well, you can't really do much, the government says so" - they work for us remember? Why can't you say "it's my bar, it's my choice, and it's up to everyone else whether they want to come inside or not"?

wish more people took this view. talk about a nanny state,France went non-smoking last year...it lasted a week !!!even got local restaurants wont let you smoke outside!!!!

Be the Government - Beat the Ban

The smoking ban stinks

As French Jews I am scare to see what UK became.It is becomming a dictaturial country as Germany under Hitler was. Let me belive that there are still out there people with who remember what repretion get to Nazi...Armenia...libenon...China with just one pregenancy and so many other exemple in the world history.I am a woman of 45 years old and travel a lot i am dismayed to bring-up my daughter in a world where there is not respect of human right,no more freedom, just the one to pay your taxe and to not contest it...... We have elected people (that is nearly the same in every country) who belive they have the right the dicted how to live, up-bringing our children, how to eat how to sleep,how to drive, how to smoke,how to drink and if we let them do how to make love! We are not anymore respect as individual. Look to who we gave the power for thoses decisions! Just want to remind a famous sentence: _ "1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. -2. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men. -3. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening thestrong. -4. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. -5. You cannot help the poor man by destroying the rich. -6. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income. -7. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. -8. You cannot establish security on borrowed money. -9. You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence. -10. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves. " Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) My Freedom stop where others people freedom start....

whilst I am a complete non smoker, I do not agree completely with the new legislation. This is simply due to the fact that before it was almost impossible to go out for a non smoker to bars etc - now it is the other way around - completely impossible for a smoker. - we need to have balance in society.

my trade is down £3500 per week following this stupid smoking ban,please help stop this stupidity by our so called government and let us all do our jobs and have a good time doing it a pub is for drinking and smoking who the hell do they think they are doing this to us. in lowestoft and the surrounding area every single pub is down on trade so who is doing well out of this ? nobody is.why dont we all have a day or a week of action and let everybody smoke we can and will stand up for ourselves i for one will stand up for our rights as human beings count me and my pub in for anything to stop this.

I am a publican with 99% of my biker customers that smoke I also have 2nd World War Vets that I have to send outside in the pooring rain and wind if they want a cigarette, they fought a war for us to live in a democratic society and not a dictatorship

Separate areas as in other countries

Lets fight this infringment the way!

What happened to freedom of choice?

what about all the money us smokers are going to cost the NHS this winter due to being outside ie colds flu chest infections.

although I am a smoker I am still human and should be at liberty to enjoy what's left of my life with friends in our local withouy getting wet or very cold

Keith Andrew Pratten

90% of my customers are smokers and the other 10% don't want a total ban either

The Smoking ban was based on LIES promoted by the WHO and ASH. The law should be amended to allow " Freedom of Choice " with Smoking and Non-Smoking pubs and clubs. Anything less is an insult to democracy.

why should I stand outside in all weathers catching illnesses and draining the NHS on medication and money.

The voters of this country should have had a say on this very important issue

Where does this Nanny state end? This must be the most corrupt government in living history. Yet again the majority of us are being led by the minority.My business is going down the pan but will the tax man give me any breaks, will he hell as like!There was no case to answer in the Bae corruption scandal, there is no truth in the cash for peerage row....My arse!! I am being snowed under by bloody red tape and officialdom, yet its me that pays for all of these "enforcers" and other little Hitlers that are constantly on my doorstep>

This used to be a free country. We are now being told what to do and when to do it. It is about time we stood up for ourselves and say "enough is enough"

pub owner more signatures to follow

what happen to our human right,i would very much like to chose to smoke were and when.

I think it's totally wrong that people's choices are taken away. We live under a dictatorship that's only going to get worse.

i own my pub , do not smoke, but wont to be able to have the choice. i would be a smoking pub.

I have had my civil rights taken away

I work in a Pub and regardless of what the press say the shifts that i work have more than halved in number. People no longer stay for more than a few unless its nice god help us in the winter.

As a Landlady I believe that we as Publicans should have been given the choice, either a smoking pub (Clearly Signed as such) or a non smoking pub. Customers would then have the choice to drink in my pub and have a cigarette or go across the road. Simple. Choice.

Give the choice to the Publicans Smoking or Non Smoking pub. This in turn gives the choice to the customer and potential staff either drink/work in one or the other. Simple choice, correct me if I am wrong but I believed I was an Adult with the brain power to make my own choices. Obviously not. Now all my smoking customers are sat outside in the cold and all the non smoking customers are out their with them. The pub is empty WHAT'S ALL THAT ABOUT!!!!!

Many thanks for doing this.I, and 99% of my pub customers(smokers and non-smokers alike)are heartily sick of our current governing body dictating how we spend our leisure time while they may still choose to smoke in their workplace! Following the first winter of the ban if I have to close my pub due to the dramatic drop in trade which is already having an effect on me and many others I shall consider them personally responsible. Overnight they have succeeded in ruining the social life of this once great nation of ours. The sooner their arrogant invasion of our freedom of choice is halted, regarding not only smoking but many other issues the better off we will all be.We must all use our vote in the next general election very wisely. By the way, do we still have freedom of speech or will I be locked in chains and flung in a dungeon for sharing these views with you? All the best and more signatures on the way.

WHY DONT WE DO A NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION ON THE COURT DATE, EVERY PUB IN ENGLAND,SCOTLAND AND WALES HAVE A DAY WHEN EVERYBODY CAN SMOKE AND GET EVERYBODY TO STAND TOGETHER

This ban is proving to be divisive and discriminatory. It is setting neighbour against neighbour by forcing law abiding smokers and their non-smoking friends onto the streets. For the first time in a civilised 'free' country the citizens are being forced to police each other. This used to happen only in novels about life behind the Iron Curtain.

Pubs are part of the community , and they are slowly being eroded away . Just another reason for people to stay away !!!

Enough is enough. The government is elected by the people and is supposed to represent the people. I was not asked my views on the ridiculous views this government is currently forcing upon us. I want my right to decide and freedom of choice back!! What on earth was wrong with having smoking and no smoking areas? Is it simply freedom of choice the government are opposed to? It certainly looks that way.

The ban is based on lies about the dangers of secondhand smoke. It is socially divisive, oppressive, and benefits only big pharma and it's lackeys.

I am sick to the back teeth of anti smoking dogooders influencing the government on decisions that affect millions of lives.They do not give a dam about all the jobs that will be lost due to this ban. They have picked on smokers because we are an easy target. I urge everyone who smokes to vote for another party come election day thats where it will hurt this labour party in the ballet box. They may realise then that the British people will not be dictated too,they dont mind taking the tax from every packet of cigarettes we buy, and then deny us an inside place to smoke them its hypocritical.I would like to add my father and his father before him fought for this country to be free and it now proves with very good evidence that we are no longer free but governed by a Hypocritical, dictorial, party that is determined to make britain a nanny state.It is time we stuck together again.

Amend the ban now!! I am not a child, nor is any other smoker. Give us the right of choice before we take away your's with our vote!

we smokers like many groups in society should have places where we can smoke among ourselves

I WORK IN A HOSPITAL WHERE THERE IS - MRSA/CIFF/LEGIONAIRE'S DESEASE YET THEY HAVE SPENT THOUSANDS OF POUNDS ON MASSIVE SIGNS THAT IT IS A SMOKE FREE HOSPITAL - LETS GET OUR PRIORITES RIGHT!!!

I just wonder what civil liberty they will take away from us next.

51 years old and a smoker for 37 years, don't cry for me! BUT Enough is Enough! The war veterans, forced to freeze to death on the streets of this god-foresaken country when all they want is their right to have a quiet beer at a public bar!! This government have played their ace card. We are too nice to see our landlords fined at £2500, given the £50 spot fine I would make a stance as would many others but our nature is to protect the endangered (Landlord) and behave. Please support this campaign as I have.

Charles Childe-Freeman

taken all our rights from us

I LIVE IN A SMALL COMMUNITY AND IT HAS KILLED THE PUB TRADE AND THE ATMOSPHERE.

As this government has failed at so much, it's hardly surprising they should go big turkey on smoking bans. Small issue - lots of money wasted on it. How Nu-labour, how totally stupid!

This ban is the nanny state and iliberalism at it's worst.

TALK MEANS NOTHING AS LONG AS WE TALK MORE WILL GO BANKRUPT ITS TIME FOR DIRECT ACTION TO SAVE OUR FUTURE THE BRITISH ARE KNOW FOR STICKING THEIR HEAD IN THE GROUND AND PRETENDING ALL IS OK WHEN BEHIND THE FALSE FRONT WE ALL HAVE MAJOR PROBLEMS WHICH CAN ONLY GET WORSE. DIRECT ACTION IS NOW CALLED FOR TIME TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED ASAP.I SUGEST A WEEKEND LIFT OF THE BAN IN EVERY PUB/CLUB/AND NIGHTCLUB IN ENGLAND SCOTLAND WALES.DO IT NOW OR REGRET IT AFTER YOU GO BANKRUPT OR ARE FORCED TO SELL UP WE ARE DOING THIS FOR OURSELVES AND THE PEOPLE OF OUR COUNTRY,PLEASE BACK ME ON THIS AND A CALL FOR ARMS!

direct action is req now to save everything we have.wait any longer and it will be to late for many the government are wrong and are destroying our country we will make them listen dont stick your head in the ground this is real it wont just go away

simple,just give us the fact's (the real one's)we make the choice freedom to chose in a democratic society

Cool site thanks for making a stand against this wish more of the pubs, clubs and people would open there eyes and see that our freedom is being taken away and stop it happening before we have no freedom at all. Will download your petition and take it along to the protest marches against the ban next one is being planned for Oct in Bristol. If I am in london will call in

YOu had not only made a fascist law that simply forces people not to smoke you had gave no support at all to the doormen and managers that has to deal with doped and drunk people at night, the calls to 999 takes more than 2 hours for police to arrive, so... We can't smoke with no alternative, we have to put our lives on danger and if else we can go to court for a situation created for a stupid no sense ban. Where's democracy?, people doesn't HAVE to take my smoke, they can go to a non smokers place, why 300 people has to be in a balcony while 4 non smokers are inside... I don't want to comform to the Californian Style you like, you are stupid and insensitive, non practical and amazinly ridiculuos. Why you don't take care of the drug dealers, how can people take extasis, snore coke, get drunk like dunkies and not have a cigarrette, your a stupid to the bones.

YOu had not only made a fascist law that simply forces people not to smoke you had gave no support at all to the doormen and managers that has to deal with doped and drunk people at night, the calls to 999 takes more than 2 hours for police to arrive, so... We can't smoke with no alternative, we have to put our lives on danger and if else we can go to court for a situation created for a stupid no sense ban. Where's democracy?, people doesn't HAVE to take my smoke, they can go to a non smokers place, why 300 people has to be in a balcony while 4 non smokers are inside... I don't want to conform to the Californian Style you like, you are stupid and insensitive, non practical and amazingly ridiculous. Why you don't take care of the drug dealers, how can people take extasis, snore coke, get drunk like pigs and not have a cigarette, your a stupid to the bones.

i think i got the gist of that in a round about way but at least he backs us i think good on ya mate u tell em

the clock is ticking time is running out

Menu based restaurants, fair enough but bars where beer is served, just ridiculous!!

Dont Like, Not Impressed... Spoiling Peoples Business's And mine too

Charles Childe-Freeman

tick tock, act now or never action req now talk talk will not pay bills,or feed your family.we have to act now.

The smoking ban has ruined London already. You drink inside, you smoke outside and never the twain shall meet. Well done, Dave, for standing up for our rights... see my magazine, the Idler, for a report on Dave's campaign.

if people dont want to enter a smoking pub they dont go in end of.we dont need the government to decide 4 us

i work all week and used to enjoy goin to local 4 pint n cig now im stuck outside the pub like a leper.

The total smoking ban in pubs and clubs takes away any choice people had before.It amounts to unnecessary discrimination, against the fourteen million people that smoke in the UK.

keith andrew pratten

I stood for the scottish parliament under the freedom of choice banner. It is everyones rights to have a freedom of choice otherwise we will be living under a communist and police state.

Smoking should be the proprietor's prerogative, not that of childish authoritarians beholden to political partis, whether whipped-in or not

I appreciate people's right to not smoke or breathe in smoke but there are plenty of establishments with walled separation which were never given the chance to prove they could keep both smokers and non-smokers happy. I only smoke when I have an alcoholic drink, I'm not a smoker when I eat and I'm certainly not a 'stand-in-the street' smoker so the only opportunity I enjoy smoking has been taken away from me.

I have no problem with smoking not being allowed in enclosed spaces where the public have to go, like shopping precincts or places of work. But making it against the law in places of leisure where a person does not have to be (or work), including outdoor places like car parks and hospital grounds, is going too far. I also think indoor smoking areas should be provided in potential stress areas like airports.