MailOnline asks public about Labour’s outside smoking ban

Punters across the country have shared how they really feel about Sir Keir Starmer‘s ‘aggressive’ plans to ban smoking in pub gardens, near stadiums and outdoor restaurants.

Restaurant terraces, shisha bars and pavements beside universities and hospitals are also expected to be made smoke-free zones – as the new Labour government cracks down even harder than Rishi Sunak planned.

Leaked Whitehall documents outlining the idea have been blasted by hospitality leaders and MPs. 

Commuters who MailOnline spoke to this morning have been left divided by the plans. 

Many accused the Government of taking away people’s freedom and described the UK as a ‘nanny state’. But others, including smokers, said it could give those who are addicted the ‘nudge’ they need to quit. 

Mark Brennan, who has smoked since he was 18, told MailOnline: ‘I go to pub gardens to smoke outside so it will impact me. The government should lay off a little bit. The policy is too much. It’s too aggressive.

‘The bars are struggling already since Covid. It’s becoming a dictatorial state being told what to do.

The 55-year-old, who is from Newcastle, added: ‘I’m trying to stop smoking, I’ve tried a few times and haven’t succeeded.

‘I have mixed feelings on it. It will help people stop eventually. There’s a lot of people smoking and it isn’t good for you.’

George Brown, a 35-year-old smoker from Newcastle, praised the proposals.

The store worker said: ‘Weirdly enough I think it’s a good thing.

‘I’m trying to quit, although it’s not going very well, and it might give people a push to quit.

‘Sometimes it takes a little nudge.

‘Smokers are quite lazy and if we have to walk an extra 30 feet to smoke, plus the added taxes on cigarettes, it isn’t worth it anymore.

‘It sucks for the people that are addicted but it’s going to be better for the country’s health so it might be a good thing.

‘It won’t ruin the pub industry. If that’s the industries’ issue with it then there must be more issues at play as people don’t go to the pub to smoke anymore.

‘You need something else to draw people in.

‘If that’s why people are going there, they need to correct that. The steps to try and get the country smoke-free are a good thing. At the end of the day, if it’s going to help our health then it’s fine.

‘You can tell that Kier Starmer isn’t a smoker with these policies but I think he has our interests at heart.’

Lee Teasdale, 47, a watch repairer said: ‘It’s another law they’re going to pass that takes away more freedom.

‘It’s freedom of choice, people should be able to do what they want. It’s just trying to tell us what to do.

‘It’s becoming a nanny state. It’s going to ruin the pub industry.

‘If you look at Newcastle now it isn’t the thriving nightlife it used to be and this certainly isn’t going to help.

‘We will see more closures. The large beer gardens rely on football being on and people smoking.’

Kath Cox, a retail manager from Newcastle, said: ‘This is going to affect restaurants and businesses if people can’t smoke or vape outside.

‘However, it’s going to make people leave their drink there and move onto the streets.

‘We adapted before when we were banned from smoking inside so I’m sure we will adapt again but it will be a change.

‘It’s becoming a nanny state. They are trying to get us under some kind of control and do everything they want us to do, which we have seen in previous years.

‘If it goes ahead there will be a lot of people opposing it.

The 42-year-old said: ‘I have lots of issues about it but they are never going to ban cigarettes because they get so much money from the tax on it.

‘Either let us carry on or ban smoking all together.

‘What are they trying to achieve from it because we are still giving them the money and they are still taking it.

‘They can’t have that much of a problem with it if they still sell them.

‘It’s the same with alcohol. It creates so many problems down the line for the NHS so you go round in circles on how to combat something.

‘There is something that needs to be done in terms of vaping, you see so many kids vaping.’

Smoker Chay Pinkerton added: ‘I don’t see the problem smoking in public. people smoke, people vape.   Everywhere you go, people are always going to be smoking. If people don’t want to be around smoke, they can move somewhere else. 

‘They shouldn’t take it away from people… I think it’s stupid personally. It’s taking away people’s freedom.’

Jonathan Macmillan added: ‘I think you should be able to do whatever you want… it won’t be a good idea. People are entitled to whatever they are want to do. People won’t want to go out and enjoy themselves if they can’t do something they enjoy.’ 

Daniel, 38, a water treatment consultant and plumber from London, told MailOnline: ‘I would support the ban in parks anywhere where there is children we would support the ban. You need to respect those boundaries.

‘I don’t smoke around my kids and don’t want others smoking around my kids either.

‘I’m not a massive drinker and don’t go to pub that much, but I would be less likely to go to a pub if there was a smoking ban as it’s more of an inconvenience.

‘It definitely wouldn’t help me quit smoking. Banning what you can and can’t do doesn’t stop people from doing those things. Look at [drugs] people still do those despite being illegal.’

Dan Lungeanu, a 36-year-old engineer from London, said: ‘It is a double edge sword, whatever limits people liberties is not OK.

‘A lot of ex-smokers would agree as well people that a ban would jump the gun and just be wrong.

‘I also don’t think passive smoking outside is that big of a deal. Also when people are forced outside they will throw their cigarettes straight onto the floor which is bad for the environment.

‘And people would be all over the street blocking traffic, which is dangerous.’

Also in London, Elizabeth told MailOnline she thought it was a very good idea to ban smoking in some outdoor settings. 

‘It’s better for my health,’ she said before adding that food will be ‘a lot more delicious to eat’ without the smell of smoke if it were to be banned at restaurant terraces. 

Business development manager Faisal, 56, said: ‘I think the people will be walking away for 15 minutes at the time, but they won’t walk away from the business.’ 

While Kevin Howells, a managing director of a security company, said he ‘controversially’ agreed with the ban. ‘We all like to go and have some sort of fresh air in beer gardens… that’s where the smokers concentrate.’

He said he did, however, fear for the impact on pubs. He said businesses could look at smoke-designated rooms to ‘keep everyone happy’. Mr Howells added that he did not think this ban would help cut down on smoking and that people would simply find another location.

Josh, a financial analyst, thinks it might be a bit over the top to ban it in pubs.

But he raised doubts about how it would be enforced and suggested people may have to be searched beforehand. 

‘But how would they do that in pubs?,’ he said. ‘Outside football stadiums maybe they could, but pubs it’s almost impossible.’

But he doesn’t think it’ll encourage people to quit smoking as they will just ‘stand on their own and smoke like they do now’.  

A 41-year-old smoker who wanted to remain anonymous told MailOnline: ‘If it is outside area I don’t see why there should be a ban. A restaurant I understand more as it is not fair on eaters.

‘But this will definitely impact businesses and they have already been through enough because of Covid.

‘It would also be impossible to enforce. Pubs are not going to call the police on their own customers and a lot of people would just break the rules.’

In Brighton, 23-year-old Brooke Hobson said: ‘I think if I was still smoking, I’d think it’s quite silly. It’s not just a social thing anymore, it’s part of people’s lives.’

She added: ‘I don’t think its appropriate to ban it from public spaces, inside it made so much sense.’

‘The more you tell people you can’t do this in this space, the more it incentivises younger people to think it’s cool… smoking is not cool, it’s just smoking at the end of the day!’ 

Also in Brighton, Jack Boggis, the 24-year-old bar manager of The Dorset Pub, said: ‘If I end up having to leave the whole premises, go down the road I may as well just go home!’ 

Adam Hattersley, owner of Kenny’s Rock & Soul in the city, said: ‘I like that people can do what they want at the moment, and have the freedom to smoke on our balcony.

‘But I can see both sides, obviously there are issues with smoking.’

A Government spokesperson declined to confirm if plans to ban smoking outside were on the table, saying: ‘We don’t comment on leaks.

‘Smoking claims 80,000 lives a year, puts huge pressure on our NHS, and costs taxpayers billions. We are determined to protect children and non-smokers from the harms of second-hand smoking.

‘We’re considering a range of measures to finally make Britain smoke-free.’

In 2007 under the last Labour government smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces was made illegal across the UK.

According to Ash, in the year following the introduction of smoke-free laws there was a 2.4 per cent reduction in hospital admissions for heart attacks in England, resulting in 12,000 fewer admissions to hospitals and saved the NHS £8.4 million in the first year alone.

The first year after the introduction of the indoor smoking ban, also saw a 12.3 per cent reduction in hospital admissions for childhood asthma, equivalent of 6,803 fewer admissions over three years.

Former prime minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to crack down on smoking through his flagship Tobacco and Vapes Bill last year.

The Bill – dubbed the ‘greatest piece of public health legislation in a generation’ – had earned wide cross-party support and was progressing through Parliament when the General Election was called.

People would still be allowed to smoke in their own homes and large open spaces, like streets and parks. But other locations are said to be grey areas and still under discussion – including beaches and enclosed, popular parks.

The report also mentions vape-free zones, although it is unclear whether the ban could also include e-cigarettes. 

As reports emerged over a possible outdoor smoking ban, MPs quickly condemned the move.

Reform MP Rupert Lowe wrote on X: ‘A ban on smoking in pub gardens? More intrusion into people’s lives. It happens slowly, and then accelerates with freedom evaporating. If people want to smoke in a pub garden, let them. There is much, much more of this to come. Stop treating us like children.’

Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick added: ‘The last thing this country needs is thousands more pubs closing. Our country faces huge challenges. Why is Starmer focusing on this nonsense?’