Let landlords choose rules on smoking (From The Bolton News)

Let landlords choose rules on smoking

9:51am Tuesday 28th August 2007

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I have to respond to the comments made by pub landlord Darren Miller of the Flying Flute, Bolton, in The Bolton News recently, in response to the article written about Nick Hogan being taken to court.

Mr Miller's said: "It would help all the licencees to work together in the light of these new laws which affect us all" but this enraged me.

My partner and I visited the Swan pub on July 2 to support Nick in his stand against this law, as we are also against it. The pub was full on the night and has continued to be full ever since.

The phrase sour grapes' springs to mind with Mr Miller's comments.

Does he wish that he had been the one to take a stance and fight for something that he strongly believes in - but didn't have the bottle to do?

If all licensees in Bolton town centre had stuck together as he suggests, maybe it would have proved, as in France, that some of the people of Bolton are not prepared to be ruled by ridiculous Government laws any longer and are prepared to fight for freedom of choice.

It would have been an incredible sight to watch Bolton Council officers march into every Bolton town centre pub to demand that people stop smoking and to try issuing fines to thousands of people.

And before any sanctimonious non-smokers respond, I have never heard a non-smoker telling their mates that they are not going out to the pub at weekend because the pubs are full of smoke!

Let's have choice. If landlords, as Nick, want to allow smoking, let them do so and let the people make their choice of which pub to drink in.

If Nick is successful in his battle and the law is relaxed, then I will put money on it that Mr Miller can't wait to get the ashtrays out!

Jan Smethurst, Harwood, Bolton

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