Worthing pubs smoking warning

Pubs are being told their future may be in doubt if they can't cope with this major side effect of the no-smoking ban.

The warning comes from Mike Webb, police licensing officer for Worthing and Adur districts.

Mr Webb said: "Each premises will have to decide its own strategy to deal with it.

"Each premises is supposed to have facilities to enable customers to go outside the enclosed area without going out on to the street."

He cited the Liquid Lounge in Chatsworth Road, Worthing, as premises which was looking at the situation.

Mr Webb then gave his caution that if premises did not come up with satisfactory arrangements, and problems were being caused, then "there are other options open to us".

He continued: "If a particular premises begins to cause a problem, we will deal with it, but on a case-by-case basis."

Simon Jones, licensing officer for Worthing Borough Council, said pubs could apply to change their conditions of "last re-entry" time to accommodate customers who had gone outside to smoke, or to allow the use of external areas such as gardens after certain times.

For more on this story, see Thursday's Worthing Herald.