Wetherspoons to ban smoking in all its pubs

British pub giant Wetherspoons is to ban smoking in all its outlets by May 2006 amid fears that drinkers are staying away from public houses because they are too smoky, it was announced today.

The company, which owns 650 pubs, said that 60 of those will become completely smoke-free from May of this year.

The firm, which has pioneered non-smoking areas in its bars and lounges, said it wanted to ban smoking two years ahead of British government legislation.

Chairman Tim Martin attacked the British government’s proposals, claiming that some pubs will still allow smoking if they do not sell food.