BTW - I heard from skipy that he didn't want to continue the debate so it now falls to me to argue both sides. Bugger!

The questions I last posed were to concentrate the mind on a better solution that did suit everyone. How about this. A smoke room licence. We have always had to have a licence for pubs. We now need a licence for music. TV watching is taxed and even dogs need their bit of paper! (Is that still true?) What is wrong with having a licensed smoke room? It would need to be sealed off from the rest of the premises with ventilation capable of ensuring that the smoke or smells did not carry. It could be inspected every year and at random to make sure it still did the job. There could be a charge for it, generating more revenue for the local council and smokers would need to ensure it was kept in reasonable shape by emptying their own ashtrays into sealed containers for disposal!

Would it work?

Cheers

Dave