Smoking Shelters

The UK Smoking Ban

How will your business deal with this?

Like it or not, smoking will be banned in all public indoor spaces in the UK by summer 2007. Different areas of the country will be affected at varying times - find out when the last fag butt must be stubbed out in YOUR pub, restaurant, or virtually ANY other business.

The UK smoking ban follows similar decisions made in several parts of Europe and the USA. If you're a smoker in protest over the British ban, count your lucky stars you don't live in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan, where the sale and use of tobacco is completely outlawed.

Where will smoking be banned? Smoking in all indoor public places will be banned. Many places - such as cinemas and public transport - have rarely permitted smoking in recent years, and so it will be places like pubs, restaurants, nightclubs and private members' clubs that feel the biggest impact of the ban on custom, and ALL businesses will have to consider how to accomodate staff smokers.

Where will you be able to smoke?
You'll still be allowed to light up outdoors, in the home or places considered to be 'homes', such as prisons, care homes and hotels.

Smoking could still be banned at certain outdoor locations that are 'substantially enclosed', such as football grounds and railway platforms. No decision has yet been made on smoking inside cars carrying passengers.

What will happen if someone is caught fag-in-hand on my premises?
The smoker caught smoking in a banned area could be fined £50. As the person in charge of the premises YOU could face a £2,500 fine if you fail to stop them. You could also be charged on-the-spot fines of £200 if you fail to display no-smoking signs, with the penalty increasing to £1,000 if the issue goes to court.

When will the ban come into force?
This depends on the area of the UK:

England - July 1st, 2007
The initial plans for a partial ban in England were binned because Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt felt it was impractical and wouldn't offer enough protection from passive smoking for workers in places such as bars and clubs.

Scotland - March 2006
It's hoped that the ban will have a very positive impact on the Scottish nation, since smoking here is attributable to a shocking one in four of all deaths.

Wales - April 2, 2007
The UK government allowed Wales to decide on its own smoking ban, despite the fact that the Welsh Assembly isn't normally given such wide-ranging powers. Wales was actually the first part of the UK to vote for a full smoking ban.

Northern Ireland - April 30, 2007
Three years after the Republic of Ireland's total ban, Northern Ireland is following suit. No-one has a right to subject colleagues and workmates to the dangers and hazards of second-hand smoke," says its Health Minister Shaun Woodward.

We have a range of permanent and temporary smoking shelter solutions to cover every budget and location

To beat the ban with an outside smoking shelter it is important to understand that your structure must meet the specifications required when the ban is implemented. You cannot smoke in any area which is “enclosed” or “substantially enclosed”.

Our CURTAIN SIDED SHELTER beats the ban as it has no “enclosed” walls! instead we use durable, heavy duty polypropelene curtains! These can be removed and installed as you please - roof only in the summer and all round protection in the winter. They can also be replaced to change the look or spruce up your shelter.

Our TEMPORARY SHELTER is basically a printed instant marquee and comes as frame & roof only or with a sides pack to cover as many sides as you wish. It takes 5 minutes to erect and can be supplied in 3 sizes.

Our GLAZED SHELTERS are the traditional style shelter which are partially glazed - with 50% coverage only to meet the new smoking shelter regulations. The top half is glazed with 6mm toughened glass. Like the curtain sided shelter these are fixed to the ground using expansion bolts. The frame can be supplied in a wide range of colours.

Want more info on the smoking ban?

Call Us : 0121 440 1288

or check out this excellent resource