New Smoking Law

So can anyone shed any light on the new smoking law? A week or so back I went to Oaks Bottom and went out to the patio area and found it thick with smoke. Nothing, however, compared to yesterday's trip to EastBurn. Seemed like everyone there was smoking. Apparently the law doesn't prohibit smoking on patios, even if they're essentially closed in?

Anyone know what the deal is here?

(Yes, I was on balance in favor of the ban, but this isn't a complaint--just wondering what the law is.)

Last Drag

By coincidence, the winner of the blogger-sponsored international photo contest, UK edition, was this photo:


Stonch, the UK host, described the photo thus:

It's by James Sakal of Colchester, Essex, and is entitled "The Last Drag". It was taken in The Hand in Hand in Brighton days before the ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces took effect in England. Many people think the ban has had a disastrous effect on pubs. I'm still in favour of it, but it's difficult not to feel nostalgic when you seen an image like this.

On that note, John reports that Hopworks' Ben Love is rallying smokers to the Horse Brass tonight. Days of nostalgia, these. Go forth and smoke, ye of the tobacco-stained fingers, and raise a pint to days passing.

[Update: Dave Selden made the cut into the final bracket for the American side of the awards.]

The Last Days of the Smoke-filled Pub

As we pull near the end of the year, we come to the end of an era. Come January first, you won't be inhaling smoke in pubs--either directly or indirectly. I plan to do another post with some of my own thoughts on it, but I'm interested to know what the mood among readers is. Presumably, you all are ground zero for this, so you should have a fairly well-formed opinion. So, what do you think, do you support the smoking ban or not?