From 1 July 2007 smoking will be prohibited in wholly or substantially enclosed premises:
- to which the public have access
- which are being used wholly or mainly as a place of work
- which are being used by and for the purposes of a club
- which are being used wholly or mainly for the provision of education, health or care services
'Substantially enclosed' means premises, other than a vehicle, having a ceiling or roof and with less than half the total wall area of the perimeter being open. Door and window openings are excluded from this total.
The definition of premises includes:
- any building or part of a building
- any structure or part of a structure
- any tent, stall and
- any vehicle used for work
Premises such as shops and shopping centres, pubs, hotels, restaurants, meeting halls, churches, betting offices, schools and colleges, day centres, hairdressers, bingo halls, snooker halls and factories will all be subject to this law. This will include almost all workplaces and other premises to which the public have access.
Offences may result in a Fixed Penalty Notice being issued and in some cases prosecution.
Responsibilities
The person having the management or control of no-smoking premises:
- must not smoke or knowingly permit others to smoke in his/her premises
- must display one or more of the specified notices in, on or near the entrance to the premises
It is recommended that a Smoke Free Policy be drawn up to assist compliance with this legislation. Such a policy will detail the responsibilities of management, employees and the public. An example of a policy is available on our website.
Where can I get No Smoking signs to put up in my premises?
Phone the Smokefree England information line on 0800 1691697 or register now via the smoke free england (external link) website.
Where can people get help to give up smoking?
Phone Smokeline 0500 7867 669 (0500 STOP NOW)
Where can I get more Information?
Remember - this legislation applies even when the premises are not open for business
