Smoking Signs - An Essential Type Of Bar Equipment

As from the first of July 2007 England went smoke free including pubs, clubs, bars, restaurants and cafes. Meaning that any customers wishing to have a smoke will have to do so outside.

Some venues will have outdoor areas where smoking is allowed but some will have to apply for planning permission to have outdoor smoking shelters erected, if you are considering providing a smoking shelter for your customers it is advised that you contact your local council before taking any action to ensure you meet with any health and safety regulations or planning legislation.

Where possible outside smoking shelters should ideally be sited away from private housing where the smoke or noise will not become a nusisance or an environmental issue, the licence holder will be held responsible for any nusiance created by paying customers in or around the smoking shelter. It is the responsibility of the staff to ensure that any noise in outside areas is kept to a minimum.

All outside smoking shelters should be provided with metal ashtrays and where possible you must provide permanently fixed heaters positioned so that they can not be tampered with or pose a burning danger to customers within the shelter. It is advised that gas heaters should not be used, as these could be easily tampered with and poses a fire hazard due to the gas cylinder supply. A smoking shelter must have 50% or more of its total surface area (excluding floors and ceilings) open to the elements, if your smoking shelter has no roof or ceiling then the 50% rule need not apply.

All businesses legally need to ensure their premises are smokefree and display no-smoking signs in prominent positions including all public entrances. All no smoking signs must have the red international 'no smoking' symbol and must be a minimum of A5 size or 210mm X 148mm in area, and all signs must carry the following wording 'No Smoking. It Is Against The Law To Smoke In These Premises' in characters that can be easily read.

Also businesses must take reasonable steps to ensure that customers and staff are aware that their premises are legally required to be smoke free, ultimate responsibility for compliance rests with the manager.

The penalties for non-compliance for those who have management responsibility is a fixed penalty of up to 1000 pounds for failure to display the minimum amount of no smoking signs, and failing to prevent smoking in a no-smoking area carries a fine of up to 2500 pounds. the individual or customer who smokes in a no smoking area can be fined up to 200 pounds.

No smoking signs are available in many different sizes and materials, self adhesive vinyl signs are designed to be stuck to glass surfaces and are handy for entrance doors that have glass windows. Rigid plastic signs with pre-drilled holes for fixing to exterior or interior walls are hard wearing and tamperproof.

Tabletop or free standing signs are also available but should only be used to complement your permant no smoking signs as removal of signs will mean that you are non-compliant and will be liable to a fine.

The legislation does not cover outdoor spaces. However the members may consider making it a policy not to smoke a certain distance from entrances so that people do not have to walk through a cloud of smoke to get into the club.

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