IT was the law that firmly divided opinion when it was introduced five years ago.

Tomorrow marks half a decade since the start of the smoking ban, which brought an end to lighting up in all indoor workplaces in England, including bars, clubs and restaurants.

There have been undoubted health benefits for both smokers and non-smokers — people are continuing to stub out the habit and The Royal Bolton hospital says it has seen a reduction in heart attack admissions.

But one casualty of the smoking ban is the pub industry, which has been hit hard by a combination of the ban, cheap supermarket drink and rising beer taxes.

Smoker Wayne Jones, who has worked behind the bar at the Ye Olde Man and Scythe in Churchgate for seven years, said he was against the introduction of the smoking ban.

But now he says: “If they brought back smoking in pubs, you would not see me behind a bar. You stand behind here seven or eight hours a day and you are breathing it in.”

But he has also witnessed the effect of the legislation on the trade, with Bolton venues The George in Great Moor Street, The Albert in Derby Street, The Church in Moncrieffe Street, The Gateway (formerly The Clifton) in Newport Street, The Gypsy’s Tent in Deansgate, and Ikon nightclub in Bridge Street, just some of those that have had to close their doors. He said: “It’s destroyed businesses and careers, and our freedom and personal choice were taken away.

“There have been pros and cons.”

Wesley Brown, who is also a smoker and has worked at the historic pub for 12 years, agrees the smoking ban has had a positive impact in terms of health. He said: “There’s a difference between having a cigarette every now and again and breathing smoke for eight hours.”

Amanda Sandford, research manager at public health charity ASH, says the ban has protected people from second-hand smoke.

“Before the ban, there was a growing trend towards workplaces being smokefree, typically offices and shops,” she said.

“But the main areas where people were exposed was in the hospitality sector. They have benefited hugely.

“It’s now possible to live and work and not come into contact with any tobacco smoke which a decade ago would have been unheard of.”

The latest available figures show 50,900 people smoke in Bolton, at an estimated cost of £79.4 million to society.

In 2009, there were 502 deaths in Bolton attributed to smoking.

The number of adults in the area who smoke has fallen to 21 per cent in 2010, from 26 per cent before the ban was introduced.

Bolton’s deputy director of public health, Lesley Jones, said: “The proportion of people smoking in the borough is continuing to come down. It has obviously helped people to quit, which has been good. We have seen a reduction in the number of people admitted with heart attacks at the hospital.

Undoubtedly the introduction of the smoke-free legislation had a really positive impact on people’s health.”

She said: “We have noticed that even those people that continue to smoke, especially when they have young children, choose to go outside.”

In the 12 months following the implementation of the law, there were 1,200 fewer emergency admissions to hospital for heart attacks across England.

Health professionals say they expect to see a reduction in respiratory diseases in the future. Moves are still being made to introduce a ban on smoking in cars when children are present, with a second reading of a Private Member’s Bill heard in Parliament yesterday.

Andrea Crossfield, director of Tobacco Free Futures, said: “We would fully support that.”