This petition is now closed, as its deadline has passed.
We the undersigned petition the Prime Minister to Reverse the smoking ban in pubs, bars and clubs and replace it with designated and properly ventilated smoking and non-smoking areas. More details
Submitted by Michael J.R. Peel of Private Citizen – Deadline to sign up by: 10 July 2007 – Signatures: 1,144
The proposed smoking ban is largely based on inaccurate statistical inference that second-hand smoking kills, despite the lack of evidence. Minister Hewitt has stated that it ‘will be good for business, as it was in Ireland and elsewhere.’ In Ireland over 1,000 pubs closed and 6,000 people lost their jobs. Wet sales remain down over 20% by volume. Only above inflation prices rises have brought the figures back to where such a dishonest claim can be made.
This ban will have a devastating effect on bars and especially country pubs that are already marginal businesses and will lead to the closure of many thousands of them up and down the country and the loss of circa 50,000 jobs, as well as further tearing the heart out of many local communities.
Legislation to provide choice is the obvious compromise. Ensuring adequate standards of ventilation and separate areas for smokers and non-smokers, even to the point where staff provide no service in the designated smoking areas.
Because there are so many signatories, only the most recent 500 are shown on this page.
Because there are so many signatories, only the most recent 500 are shown on this page.