Smoking banned in Manchester's new outdoor seating areas

Smoking will be banned in all new outdoor seating areas approved to help Manchester's hospitality businesses recover from the coronavirus lockdown.

Manchester City Council announced yesterday that it would require all businesses temporarily trading under a ‘pavement licence' to ensure their outdoor seating areas are smoke-free.

The move comes after the government put forward changes to require pubs and restaurants to make "reasonable provisions" to offer non-smoking areas outdoors.

Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar, executive member for neighbourhoods for Manchester City Council, said: "The introduction of outside seating for the hospitality sector has been a positive step over the past few weeks. We are seeing the public enjoy a degree of normality, and we are also seeing our businesses pick up following the devastating impact of the lockdown. Many have fed back that the additional provision has saved their business.

"However, we have not endured one health crisis to sleepwalk into another. We know that in Manchester there are still too many people smoking and we want to play our part to ensure that the city is a place where smoking is not a cultural norm.

"Smoking is not only terrible for our health but is also an unpleasant thing for bystanders to endure. I am sure that after months inside the last thing people want is a face full of smoke when trying to enjoy a meal or drink."

The city of Manchester remains under more stringent Covid-19 restrictions than the majority of the country following a government announcement last week.

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