Smoking ban one month on

Smokers in Preston and South Ribble are obeying the new law banning smoking in public places.

Neither Preston City Council or South Ribble Borough Council have handed out a single fixed penalty notice to either an individual or premises for breaking the legislation since it came into effect on July 1.

Both councils have carried out inspections across the area but the only problems encountered were with signs advising customers of the ban.

In Preston, the Smokefree team have made more than 500 inspections while environmental health officers in South Ribble have visited 104 premises.

Coun Carol Chisholm, South Ribble Borough Council's cabinet member for public health, said: "Since the smoking ban came into force, our Smokefree Enforcement officer has not had to issue a single enforcement.

"The approach the council took to educate and provide support to businesses appears to have been highly successful."

Preston City Council's Smokefree enforcement officer, José Pinon Shaw said: "We had a handful of complaints from members of the public and the co-operation of the licensees and landlords has been very good.

"We realise smoking is an habitual thing and people need to be re-educated. "We worked very hard before the legislation came into being and that approach has paid off. "Most of the problems we faced were very minor and mostly to do with displaying signs incorrectly. "We are very pleased with the way the first month has gone."

For more information on the legislation, go to the Government's website at www.smokefreeengland.co.uk

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