A pub landlord believes he could be the first in the country to implement a total smoking ban across the entire premises, including the beer garden. John Garrod, who owns the Hope Inn in Hythe, Kent, says his establishment primarily attracts diners who prefer not to inhale second-hand smoke while enjoying their meals.
The 72-year-old non-smoker has encountered some criticism from locals, with some labelling the ban as ‘woke’, but he remains firm in his decision.
“You only need one person to be smoking a cigarette and their smoke is wafting over several other people, which makes it slightly less pleasant than it would otherwise be,” he said. “So, the obvious action to take is to stop smoking within the garden, for the comfort of the majority.
“Not many of our customers smoke because of the demographic we attract. Most of them will eat, rather than just drink. “Through the summer, the garden gets very, very busy with people eating.”
