London councillors urge government to make all pavement seating smokefree

Local councillors from across London have written to the government to call for the introduction of a national smokefree condition for pavement seating outside pubs, cafes and restaurants.

The letter, coordinated by the London Tobacco Alliance, highlights the important role that smokefree spaces play in deterring children from taking up smoking and supporting existing smokers to quit.

Read the letters to Steve Barclay, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care
and Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities.

This comes ahead of a debate on the government’s Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill where Peers have tabled an amendment to require all pavement licences to be 100% smokefree.

Under rules introduced during the pandemic, hospitality businesses can apply to councils for a pavement licence allowing them to place outdoor seating. Businesses have to provide some seating classified as smokefree, but councils can go further and make 100% smokefree pavement seating a condition of the licence.

The letters – addressed to the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Steve Barclay, and the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, Michael Gove – state that the current system is too bureaucratic and holds back many councils from introducing a smokefree condition.

The authors argue that 100% smokefree pavement licences are what the public wants, and will provide the consistent national approach needed to help deliver the government’s smokefree 2030 ambition.

This measure is supported by the Local Government Association (LGA) who have said that smokefree pavement licensing “sets a level playing field for hospitality venues across the country and has a public health benefit of protecting people from unwanted second-hand smoke. If smoking is not prohibited, pavement areas will not become family-friendly spaces.” The LGA Community Wellbeing Board has confirmed this remains the LGA’s position.

Cllr Jim Dickson, Joint Cabinet Member for Healthier Communities at Lambeth Council and Chair of Lambeth’s Health and Wellbeing Board said: “Smoking places a major burden on many of our most deprived communities and costs our city £3bn every year in lost economic productivity and health and social care costs. London councils are committed to taking action to make our city smokefree, but we can’t do it alone. The government should seize this opportunity to introduce national smokefree pavement seating to improve the health of Londoners and people across the country.”

The smokefree pavement licence amendment has been tabled by Lord Young of Cookham, vice chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Smoking and Health. He said: “There is a clear consensus among the public that outdoor eating and drinking areas should be free from cigarette smoke. This is also much more practical for businesses and councils who want clear rules that are straightforward to communicate. A national smokefree pavement licence condition would protect public health, particularly child health, while cutting red tape for councils. I urge the government to implement it without delay.”

Deborah Arnott, Chief Executive of Action on Smoking and Health said: “Smokefree pavement seating was recommended in the government’s own review of tobacco policies needed to make smoking obsolete led by Dr Javed Khan OBE last year. Allowing smoking sets a bad example to children, and smoke drifts, exposing customers and staff to toxic and unpleasant tobacco smoke. If the government is serious about delivering a smokefree England by 2030 they should implement this simple and popular measure.”

For more information about smokefree pavement licences, see the ASH briefing here: https://ash.org.uk/resources/view/smokefree-pavement-licences