BEACON, the giant York-based purchasing consortium for the independent hospitality trade in Britain, today said most of its members will react positively to Parliament's agreed ban on smoking in all enclosed public spaces in England.

MPs voted on a stub-out in 18 months' time for all licensed premises, including pubs, restaurants and private clubs, with owners facing a maximum fine of £2,500 if people light up.

Claire Bennett, marketing manager for Beacon, which shares its headquarters with Best Western Hotels, in Amy Johnson Way, Clifton Moor, said: "Research with our members, which include more than 2,000 pubs, bars, hotels and restaurants, showed that there was a great deal of support within the industry for a complete ban.

"In fact, 65 per cent of the independent hospitality businesses we surveyed thought a smoking ban was a good idea, and a third of the businesses questioned had actually already introduced a smoking ban or were currently considering doing so.

"The feedback we received also indicated the majority of businesses felt a total ban would be the most workable solution."

But the survey got a mixed response on whether the smoking ban will have a detrimental effect on trade, with 42 per cent of respondents saying yes and 43 per cent saying no.

"It seems only time will tell what the full implications will be," said Mrs Bennett.

Meanwhile, the boss of Knaresborough-based Market Town Taverns, today gave his reaction to the prospect of no longer being the UK's first niche market no-smoking pub pioneers once the universal ban takes effect next year,

Market Town Taverns has just opened Brigantes, a two floor smoke-free tavern in Micklegate, York.

Ian Fozard, the company's founder and managing director, said his firm took what was purely a commercial decision to go "no smoking" because there was a niche market for the 70-75 per cent of adults who did not smoke.

"But, as an individual, I don't like the way that our society is becoming increasingly authoritarian.

"If tobacco was an illegal substance then that's fine but, had the hospitality industry been left to its own devices, it would eventually have followed us all the way to the right decision," he said.

He was not worried that the Parliamentary ruling had stolen Market Town Tavern's thunder.

"In those 18 months until autumn 2007, we will still have the niche market and, beyond that, we have a unique range of beers, good food and wine."

Updated: 10:34 Friday, February 17, 2006