Wrexham and Flintshire pubs react to potential smoking ban

It's been reported that Prime Minister Sir Kier Starmer could extend the smoking ban to outside areas. 

The ban could also apply to outside universities, hospitals, sports grounds, small parks, and children's play areas.

Following the reports, the Leader spoke to two pubs in Wrexham and Flintshire to gauge their thoughts on the potential ban, with both strongly disagreeing with the proposal. 

Lynda Leigh, landlady at the George and Dragon in Flint, said: "It's unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable.

"I wish they'd have mentioned this before the election as things could have been very different. They're just always doing something that impacts the hospitality sector. 

Lynda Leigh at the George and Dragon.

"We've extended the garden, replaced some of the car park, turfed it all out and spent a fortune on it, and now this. 

"There's an area where the smokers go in the garden and where the non smokers go and it works like that. 

"Why not just say you can't smoke altogether, or ban cigarettes, why has it always got to be hitting the hospitality?

"Things have taken time to get back to normal after covid, with some people only coming back out to pubs, and now this. 

"It's gut wrenching it really is. There's never any votes on it either, it's not fair."

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Steve Lewis, landlord at the Dog and Pickle, Lavister, said: "I think a smoking ban does need to be brought in in certain places, but I'm not sure pubs are one of them. 

"It's certainly going to affect drink trade, not sure it will really affect food that much. 

"Certain pubs have smoke free zones and I think at the end of the day it should be down to the landlords to decide on it."