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Pub closes 'research smoking room'
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-05-20 16:10

Pub closes 'research smoking room'

A pub in Yorkshire has been forced to close the "smoking research centre" that it opened to get around the smoking ban.

Smoking has been forbidden in enclosed public spaces since July 2007, but the Cutting Edge in Worsbrough used a legal loophole to try to avoid prosecution.

Licensee Kerry Fenton labelled the tap room as a research centre and gave smokers questionnaires about their habit to take advantage of an exemption for "designated rooms in a research or testing facility", the Yorkshire Post reports.

However, Barnsley Council officials have said that the pub is "clearly not a research or test facility" and the Cutting Edge's owners Punch Taverns confirmed that they did "not endorse this activity".

A spokeswoman confirmed to The Publican: "Punch has requested that our licensee at the Cutting Edge cease activity and we believe this has now been adhered to.

"We have not been heavy handed in this matter but were concerned about the legality of this activity and a breach to the terms of our premises licence."