Six out of 10 Londoners want the capital's restaurants to go completely smoke-free and more than four out of 10 want pubs to go the same way, according to a survey by the London Health Commission.
Asked how they would prefer the indoor areas of the following hospitality venues to be, the response from Londoners was as follows:
|
Completely smoke-free |
Mainly smoke-free but with separate areas for smoking |
Mainly smoking but with separate non-smoking areas |
Smoking allowed throughout |
| Cafés |
60% |
27% |
8% |
4% |
| Restaurants |
64% |
25% |
8% |
3% |
| Pubs and bars |
43% |
29% |
14% |
14% |
Len Duvall, chair of the London Health Commission, said: "There is a perception, particularly within the hospitality industry, that going smoke-free will result in a reduction in business, but this is not the case.
"Smoke-free policies make sense for business as we have seen in smoke-free cities such as San Francisco, where there has been either a neutral or positive effect on profits."
Overall, more than three-quarters of Londoners (78%) said they would prefer enclosed public places in London to be completely smoke-free.
Nearly three-quarters (74%) said they would back a law to make all workplaces smoke-free.
More than 34,000 people took part in the consultation exercise. Responses were gather via the internet and a freephone number advertised in The Londoner, a free newspaper published by the Greater London Authority and mayor Ken Livingstone.
The London Health Commission was set up by the mayor in October 2000. He also appoints the commission's chair.
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