Minister wriggles over mooted ban on smoking in pub gardens

A minister was left wriggling today as she denied the mooted ban on smoking in pub beer gardens is an ‘attack on the hospitality industry’.

Commons Leader Lucy Powell was grilled over the proposals as she toured broadcast studios ahead of Parliament returning from its summer break tomorrow.

The industry has warned that the surprise move to extend restrictions to outdoor areas such as beer gardens and outside stadiums could devastate businesses.

Some have estimated that one in eight pubs could be forced to shut as a result. 

Ms Powell told Sky News‘ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that any measures would be subject to a full consultation.

‘We’re certainly not attacking the hospitality industry. We support the hospitality industry. It’s vital to our communities, our high street, our economy,’ she said.

Commons Leader Lucy Powell was grilled over the proposals as she toured broadcast studios ahead of Parliament returning from its summer break tomorrow

The industry has warned that the surprise move to extend smoking restrictions to outdoor areas such as beer gardens and outside stadiums could devastate businesses

Keir Starmer has been facing a growing backlash since he confirmed the government is looking at plans to ban smoking in pub gardens, sports grounds and other outdoor venues

‘I’m not going to pre-empt what is or isn’t going to be in a future piece of legislation. But what I would say is that any such measures to extend some of these issues around smoking will be done in full consultation with business.’

Kate Nicholls, chief executive of trade body UKHospitality, has warned a ban on smoking in outdoor spaces ‘comes with the prospect of serious economic harm to hospitality venues’.

‘This ban would not only affect pubs and nightclubs, but hotels, cafes and restaurants that have all invested significantly in good faith in outdoor spaces and continue to face financial challenges,’ she warned.

Keir Starmer has been facing a growing backlash since he confirmed the government is looking at plans to ban smoking in pub gardens, sports grounds and other outdoor venues.

The PM said the Government was going to ‘take decisions in this space’ in order to reduce the burden of smoking-related illness on the NHS.

But critics warned the draconian plan would be a hammer blow to the struggling hospitality sector – and said there was little evidence that it would reduce smoking rates.

Leaked documents reveal ministers are considering a ban on smoking in a wide range of outdoor settings, including beer gardens, outdoor restaurants and cafes.

Pavement smoking outside these venues would also be banned, along with smoking outside nightclubs. University campuses, hospitals and even parks will also face restrictions. Ministers are weighing up whether to apply the ban to vaping.

The restrictions will be added to existing legislation that will ban anyone aged 15 and under from ever being able to legally smoke by raising the legal age for buying cigarettes by one year, every year.

The hospitality sector warned it could repeat the impact of the 2007 ban on indoor smoking, which is said to have contributed to the closure of some 7,000 hospitality venues across the following decade.

Tory analysis suggested the ban could see one in eight pubs close, leading to the loss of a further 5,754.