Peers will urge ministers to BAN smoking outside pubs, restaurants and cafes over health fears

Peers will urge ministers to BAN smoking outside pubs, restaurants and cafes over health fears as venues move tables outdoors amid easing of lockdown measures

  • Group of cross-party peers to raise concern over second-hand smoke impact
  • They will warn more people eating and drinking outside could lead to increase
  • It comes as government relaxes licensing laws to get cafes and bars reopened
  • Hospitality industry was closed for more than three months following lockdown 

Smoking outside pubs, restaurants and cafes could be banned, with peers set to urge ministers to introduce new rules as venues move tables outdoors amid the easing of lockdown measures.  

Ministers will face demands on Monday to require pubs and cafes to ban outdoor smoking over fears of an increase risk of second hand smoke.

It comes as the government is temporarily relaxing licensing laws in Britain to allow pubs, cafes and restaurants to keep customers outside – where the risk of transmitting coronavirus is lower.

But some peers are now raising concerns that this could create a Continental-style ‘cafe culture’, and an increase of people smoking outside of cafes, bars and restaurants, according to the I newspaper.

Smoking outside pubs, restaurants and cafes could be banned, with peers set to urge ministers to introduce new rules as venues move tables outdoors amid the easing of lockdown measures. Library image

It comes as the government is temporarily relaxing licensing laws in Britain to allow pubs, cafes and restaurants to keep customers outside - where the risk of transmitting coronavirus is lower. Pictured: People eat and drink in bars and restaurants in Soho, London on July 5

It comes as the government is temporarily relaxing licensing laws in Britain to allow pubs, cafes and restaurants to keep customers outside – where the risk of transmitting coronavirus is lower. Pictured: People eat and drink in bars and restaurants in Soho, London on July 5

Some peers are now raising concerns that a push for more alfresco dinning could create a Continental-style 'cafe culture', and an increase of people smoking outside of cafes, bars and restaurants, according to the I newspaper. Pictured: Members of the public queue for a table as others enjoy their first drink in a beer garden at the Hootenanny, Glasgow

Some peers are now raising concerns that a push for more alfresco dinning could create a Continental-style ‘cafe culture’, and an increase of people smoking outside of cafes, bars and restaurants, according to the I newspaper. Pictured: Members of the public queue for a table as others enjoy their first drink in a beer garden at the Hootenanny, Glasgow

The paper reports that peers, backed by health campaigners, are today set to challenge the government during a debate of their plans to rush through emergency planning regulations to encourage the hospitality industry to go al-fresco.

It comes amid concern by peers such as former Conservative cabinet minister Sir George Young and Liberal Democrat Baroness Northover.

She told the I: ‘Reducing smoking in public places has been hugely important for improving public health in the UK.

‘However, with pavement licences being introduced to help support our hospitality industry as we relax lockdown, the Government should not allow this to become an excuse for increasing smoking in public places.’

The concern comes after pubs, bars and restaurants were given the green light by the government to reopen this month after more than three months of closure due to the coronavirus lockdown.

Government scientists say the risk of spreading coronavirus is lower outside, leading to many bars, pubs and cafes moving their service outside to allow them to reopen while keeping customers safe.

Meanwhile London’s West End has been transformed into a ‘continental-style’ outdoor dining district this summer to prevent hundreds of pubs, restaurants and bars from going bust.

The concern comes after pubs, bars and restaurants were given the green light by the government to reopen this month after more than three months of closure due to lockdown. Pictured: People socialise in outdoor dinning areas in Soho, London

The concern comes after pubs, bars and restaurants were given the green light by the government to reopen this month after more than three months of closure due to lockdown. Pictured: People socialise in outdoor dinning areas in Soho, London

Streets have temporarily been closed in the evenings in parts of the West End, London, to encourage bars and restaurants to reopen

Streets have temporarily been closed in the evenings in parts of the West End, London, to encourage bars and restaurants to reopen

Areas most popular with tourists – including Covent Garden, Soho, Mayfair and Marylebone – were all part of the plans, which include extensive temporary road closures.

The closures are in place from 11am to 11pm in Covent Garden and 5pm to 11pm in Soho during the week and then from midday to 11pm on Saturdays.

The plans led to packed streets in Soho on July 4 when many pubs and bars reopened for the first time since lockdown was imposed in March.

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