Rother District Council

Virtually all public places in England are smoke free.

ROTHER is SMOKEFREE

It is illegal to sell cigarettes and other tobacco products to children (under the age of eighteen). For further information please contact Trading Standards.

Virtually all enclosed public places and workplaces in England are smokefree by law. This includes offices, factories, indoor public entertainment venues such as nightclubs, private members clubs, shops, pubs, bars, restaurants, hotels and guesthouses (but with some special exemptions), the common parts of flats and public transport including taxis and private hire vehicles.

The law also means indoor smoking rooms are not allowed. So anyone wishing to smoke has to go outside instead. The law also applies to the smoking of cigarettes, cigars and pipes, including water pipes such as those known as shisha, hookah and hubble - bubble pipes.

All businesses must:-

• Display the legally required 'No Smoking' signs at the entrance;
• Take reasonable steps to ensure that staff, customers/members and visitors are aware that premises and vehicles are legally required to be smokefree;
• Ensure that no one smokes in smokefree premises or vehicles.

The Councils Environmental Health Service is responsible for enforcing the law (except on railway land), and those who don't comply may be liable to a fixed penalty notice or prosecution for the following offences:-

1. Smoking in a smokefree place or vehicle;
2. Failing to display suitable No Smoking signs;
3. Allowing smoking in a smokefree place or vehicle.

Businesses should note that are responsible for taking reasonable steps to comply with the 2nd and 3rd offences, by displaying the appropriate signage, and enforcing the smokefree requirement with their staff and all customers and visitors to their premises. Businesses should have appropriate management systems in place to ensure that the law is complied with on their premises.

The Government have set up an organisation called Smokefree England to publicise and promote the Smokefree campaign, and to provide businesses with guidance and support including the latest position on smoking shelters, as well as information for the general public.

For more detailed information visit smokefreeengland.co.uk where you can register to receive regular updates and a guidance pack, which contains a user friendly information booklet and a set of no smoking signs (required by law to be displayed at the entrances of smokefree premises) free of charge.

SMOKING SHELTERS AND SMOKING LITTER

You may be considering putting up a smoking shelter for staff and/or customers outside your business, please bear in mind that you may require planning and/or building regulations approval for the erection of a smoking shelter. Similarly if you are a licensed premises under the Licensing Act 2003, you may also need to apply to vary your licence to accommodate such a shelter. Likewise, if you are considering providing wall mounted ashtrays or similar receptacles to prevent smoking related litter accumulating outside your premises you may also require planning consent.

SMOKEFREE CONTACTS AT ROTHER DISTRICT COUNCIL:-

For general smokefree enquiries contact Environmental Health on 01424 787550 or e-mail smokefree@rother.gov.uk

For enquiries about the requirement for planning consent for smoking shelters or alterations to buildings please write with brief details of your proposals to Head of Planning, Town Hall, Bexhill TN39 3JX or e-mail planning@rother.gov.uk

Want to Stop Smoking in your Workplace?

If you have staff that want to quit call the number below for more information.

HASTINGS AND ROTHER STOP SMOKING SERVICE OFFER EXPERT HELP AND ADVICE TO QUIT SMOKING

Drop-in Clinics are available Monday to Saturday between 8am and 8pm across Hastings and Rother

WORKPLACE QUIT SMOKING SERVICES OFFER

• Specialist Advice
• Weekly support for approximately 10 weeks
• Weekly supply of Nicotine replacement therapy (patches)* please note prescription charge applies each month.

YOU ARE 4 TIMES MORE LIKELY TO QUIT SMOKING USING OUR SERVICE

For more information please call Hastings & Rother Stop Smoking Service 01424 457153

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