SMOKING is to be banned in Bolton town centre's Crompton Place shopping centre.

People flouting the ban, which comes come in to force on Friday, October 29, will face being evicted.

The ban has been announced a week after the Bolton Evening News launched a Stub It Out campaign to ban smoking in the town's pubs, restaurants and all public buildings.

Staff at the Crompton Place shopping centre are currently receiving training in the art of "gentle persuasion" to tackle smokers who have ignored the ban.

They will have the task of approaching anyone they spot smoking and ask them to stub the cigarette out.

Shopping centre bosses have said that anyone who refuses will be asked to leave.

Mark Rycraft, manager of the shopping centre, today congratulated the Bolton Evening News on the launch of its Stub It Out campaign.

He said he was hopeful most people would accept the ban and stub out their cigarettes before they enter the centre.

The shopping malls are currently undergoing a massive face-lift and adjacent The Gates centre will eventually become part of Crompton Place.

As part of the work, Hermes, the owners of the Crompton Place, made the decision to ban smoking.

Mr Rycraft said the decision was made after intense research, including a survey posted on the Crompton Place website which revealed a majority in favour of the ban.

Bolton's other major retail centre, The Market Place, is also a smoke-free haven for shoppers.

Mr Rycraft said he was not envisaging too many problems in enforcing the ban but he decided it would be a good idea to introduce the "conflict management" courses to get his staff prepared to deal with any complaints.

Under the guidance of Bolton Smoking Cessation team manager Deborah Smethurst, staff are receiving training in handling people who refuse to stop smoking.

Mrs Smethurst said: "Hopefully there won't be any angry situations but it's good to make sure the staff can deal with them if they do arise."

Mr Rycraft said the biggest problem was likely to be in the cafe where customers were used to having a cigarette with a cup of tea.

He added: "Some people will probably just light up without thinking about it. I am hopeful, though, that most people, once reminded about the ban, will comply."

Crompton Place staff are included in the ban and they now have their own "smoking room".

Customer service officer Aron Murphy, aged 25, is a smoker but said he welcomed the ban.

"I think it's a good idea. I'm sure it will be difficult, at first, to approach people who are smoking but, hopefully, the training will help me learn how to do it tactfully," he said.

The centre is to have signs warning shoppers of the smoking ban and there will be ashtrays sited outside the centre doors where customers can extinguish cigarettes before going inside.

Mr Rycraft said he was "delighted" the Bolton Evening News had launched a campaign to make the town a smoke-free zone.

"I applaud the Bolton Evening News campaign. It is a worthwhile cause and here at The Crompton Place we are determined to do our bit."