The plans would target a range of locations, including pavements near universities and areas outside night clubs.
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00:00Earlier today, Sir Keir Starmer confirmed the government was considering a ban on smoking
00:05in a range of outdoor venues.
00:07But despite the Prime Minister's concerns about the burden on the NHS, the plans have
00:12drawn criticism from the hospitality industry, including one Thanet landlord.
00:19We have really nice outdoor smoking areas.
00:22We have heaters, we have televisions there for people to be out and watch the sport.
00:26We have nice, comfortable seating and it works.
00:30And I don't find that there is a need, you know, sometimes you go, OK, there may be a
00:35need that wants to get sorted out here.
00:37I don't see where the need or the driver is coming from.
00:40But not all landlords are convinced the potential ban is a bad thing.
00:44I think so.
00:45I think it's a great idea, but it might differ.
00:47But everyone said that about the smoking ban, said it's a worse thing for pubs and whatever.
00:53Didn't really affect it that much, made restaurants a lot better, a lot nicer places to go to.
00:58And actually, I think there are even some smokers that agree that, especially now that
01:01you don't smoke inside pubs, they find it a better environment.
01:04But high street pubs, whereas sports bars, places like that, perhaps have a designated
01:08area for smokers, as long as it's just smokers and it's not interfering with anyone else.
01:13So it doesn't upset anyone.
01:14If the ban does come into force, ashtrays like this one here at the Tudor Rose could
01:19become a thing of the past.
01:21But it's not just pub gardens on the potential ban list.
01:25Smoking outside football stadiums, near children's parks, outside hospitals and universities,
01:31and even on restaurant terraces could all potentially face the axe.
01:37What do people in Medway make of all of this?
01:40I think it's a good thing because it's a lot to do with people's health and that as well.
01:44You shouldn't ban people from doing stuff outside.
01:47It's ridiculous.
01:48I don't really think there's a need to stop people smoking, especially in pub gardens.
01:53There's nothing worse than trying to eat something and somebody smoking at the next table and
01:57it blows over.
01:58So in a way it would be a good idea.
02:01A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care told KNTV that, while they
02:07do not comment on leaks, smoking claims 80,000 lives a year and costs taxpayers billions.
02:15They say they are considering a range of measures to finally make Britain smoke-free.
02:22Some of those measures have already been laid out, with plans to impose limits on the sale
02:27and marketing of vapes, as well as increasing the age at which people can buy cigarettes
02:32year on year to phase out smoking entirely.
02:36But for some, snuffing out smoking areas in Kent might be the most controversial proposal
02:42so far.
02:43Oliver Leeds of the Saks for KNTV in Rochester.