BOLTON'S prestigious Market Place could become a no smoking zone - if most shoppers agree.

Market Place bosses are considering asking customers to stub out their cigarettes when they enter the centre, with the aim of creating a cleaner environment.

But they won't go ahead unless it is what the majority of the public wants.

Marketing co-ordinator Laurie Barton said people could now smoke on all the malls, but not in the lifts or individual shops.

She said: "We would be talking about no smoking throughout the Market Place."

The ban would not involve the Market Hall, however, as the hall is not run by Market Place management.

Questionnaires have been handed out already, but Laurie said she would like to hear from BEN readers to find out their views.

A sister centre, in Perth, Scotland, introduced no smoking after the public voted to ban cigarettes.

Laurie, a smoker, said a decision would only be made when a large sample of the shopping public had been consulted.

She said: "It would create a healthier environment and smoking is becoming more and more anti-social.

"But we want to know what people really think. We don't want to stop people coming into the centre and spending in the shops.

"It would probably cut out the number of people hanging around in the centre who are not spending there, although that is not our reason for doing it."

Anyone with a view is being urged to write to Laurie Barton, or customer care manager George Coleman at the Market Place.

Should smoking be banned? Let the BEN know by writing to us at the Bolton Evening News, Churchgate, Bolton.

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