Six months after the start of the smoking ban in Wales just 25 penalty notices have been issued with compliance levels at 97%, according to official figures.

The latest compliance data from the All Wales Smoking Cessation Service’s report shows July was the peak month for fixed penalties to date with a total of 20 issued after inspections at 3,201 licensed premises.

Just one of the fixed penalties was given for incorrect signage with the remainder dished out for smoking in a smoke-free area.

Wales’ chief medical officer Dr Tony Jewell estimated 400 premature deaths would be avoided due to the ban.

But Aneurin Jones, spokeswoman for the Licensed Victuallers Association in Wales, told the BBC: “I think the majority of people have lost business over it.”

“The ones that are not coming to the pub now are smoking and drinking among their children, at home,” she added.

Read the  BBC story in full here >>

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Read more on the smoking ban here >>

By Christopher Walton

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