Getty ImagesThe government is to ditch plans to ban smoking in the gardens of pubs and restaurants in England. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said he didn’t want to cause further harm to the hospitality industry, adding that “people don’t want to see their high streets going down the pan”.But the government is considering plans to make it illegal to smoke in children’s playgrounds and outside schools and hospitals, although there is little detail on how that would be measured or policed.The main focus of the updated Tobacco and Vapes Bill is to create a smokefree generation across the UK by making it illegal for anyone currently aged 15 or under to ever buy cigarettes.Streeting said he had discussions with the hospitality sector over the summer and decided not to go ahead with the ban on smoking outdoors in pubs, bars and restaurants that was being considered.”There are lots of things that we can and will do on public health that don’t impact on people’s liberties or people’s livelihoods,” he told the Today programme on Radio 4. Trade group UK Hospitality said the proposals had caused angst amongst the sector.“Now is not the time for further cost to be added to businesses and we’re pleased the government has listened to and acted on the sector’s concerns,” said chief executive Kate Nicholls.The British Beer and Pub Association, which represents 20,000 pubs in the UK, said it welcomed the change of heart, adding that the ban “would have led to many pubs shutting their doors and jobs being lost”.Instead, under the new Bill, the government is considering extending smokefree legislation in England to outdoor areas such as playgrounds, schools and hospital grounds, to protect children and the most vulnerable from the harms of second-hand smoke.However, it’s not clear how that would work in practice.Streeting suggested enforcing these outdoor smoking bans could work in the same way as fines for fly tipping and anti-social behaviour.“We will consult about the range at which the ban will apply but having enforcement officers going in and being able fine people for this activity I think will make a real difference,” he told BBC Breakfast.The smokers’ campaign group Forest, said a smoking ban outside hospitals was “cruel” because it could be a comfort to patients, visitors and staff “who want a quiet, stress-free moment”.In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, it is already an offence to smoke on NHS hospital grounds. That’s defined by the Scottish government as withi …
