Stub it out at the double!

Councillors last night voted to ban smoking in all Council-operated buildings by the end of the year.

The public will no longer be able to light up at venues such as The Alhambra Theatre, St George's Hall, swimming pools and leisure centres and other Council sites.

And in a double boost to the Telegraph & Argus Clear The Air campaign, Bradford-based supermarket giant Morrisons today announced a smoking ban in all its customer cafes from the end of January, with warning signs already going up in stores.

Last night's Council vote followed a motion tabled by Labour group leader Councillor Ian Greenwood (Lab, Little Horton) and seconded by veteran councillor Tony Cairns (Lab, Tong).

Council chiefs will now draw up a list of all the facilities to be affected by the ban - likely to include everything from playing field changing facilities to the St George's Hall theatre. Smoking is currently banned from all Council buildings except in designated smoking rooms. Last night's vote will see even those phased out by December.

Officers from the authority's asset management department, health improvement team and environment section will put together detailed plans and a timetable for the change - with the December deadline set in stone for managers of all facilities.

Once the document is drafted it will be put before the Council's ruling executive body - possibly in the spring. If that is approved, the ban should be effective by 2007.

Councillor Greenwood said the motion was necessary and timely in order to protect the good health of people in Bradford who do not smoke.

He said: "All the indications from the medical profession are that passive smoking is a danger.

"It is clear to us that passive smoking is an issue in the workplace and in the wider environment, and we feel the nature of public opinion has reached a situation that it would be appropriate to have this before Council."

Morrisons has pre-empted a proposed national smoking ban which will see all outlets which serve food barred from allowing smoking by April 2007.

The proposed Government legislation that would still allow smoking in pubs which do not serve food has provoked widespread protests that it would be unworkable.

However, a recent Downing Street decision to allow all Labour MPs, including ministers, a free vote on an amendment scrapping the exemption for pubs not serving food and private members clubs, has increased the chance of a total smoking ban in enclosed public places - the aim of the Telegraph & Argus Clear the Air campaign.

A spokesman for Morrisons said: "The decision to withdraw smoking provision in those cafes where smoking is currently available is being made in response to a noticeable shift in customer preferences, indicating a majority in favour of no smoking cafes.

"Customers are being advised of the change ahead of its introduction giving those who do smoke time to prepare."

At the store at the Victoria Shopping Centre, Girlington, signs have been placed on the tables in the caf's smoking section warning customers they will no longer be allowed to light up from January 30.

The store's deputy general manager Scott Gilbert said: "Obviously smokers do not want us to go in this direction but for us it is the way forward and the healthy way forward.

"The majority of customers do not smoke and do not want to breathe second hand smoke while they are eating so we have to go with the majority."

Stores in the district which currently have a designated smoking area but will become no smoking from Monday, January 30 are the Bradford Mayo Avenue store, Bradford Enterprise 5, the store at the Victoria Shopping Centre, Girlington, the store at Rushton Avenue, Thornbury, Keighley, Yeadon and Morley.

All other stores in the country are also going totally no smoking.

Staff canteens in Morrisons stores are already no smoking but staff can smoke in designated smoking areas. A Morrisons spokesman said there were no plans to axe these areas.