A decade after the smoking ban was introduced in enclosed public places in England, new polling suggests two-thirds of adults support extending it to pub gardens. The YouGov survey of over 4,000 people found 66% in favour of prohibiting smoking in outdoor areas of pubs, with only 18% opposed.
The ban, which came into force on 1 July 2007, made it illegal to smoke in all enclosed workplaces and public spaces in England, following similar moves in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Initially controversial, it quickly gained public backing, with nearly three-quarters of people now opposing its repeal.
However, the impact on pubs has been debated. The UK lost nearly 7,000 pubs between 2007 and 2015, and critics like Simon Clark of the smokers' rights group Forest argue the ban was “devastating”. Yet the British Beer and Pub Association notes that other factors, such as rising beer duty and the economic crash, also contributed to the decline.
Many pubs have adapted by focusing on food and attracting families, while traditional “street-corner boozers” have struggled. Smoking rates have fallen to below 17%, and the number of young people taking up smoking has halved since the ban, though experts say this is part of a broader trend among young people towards healthier behaviours.
