A Blackpool publican who became the first landlord in England to be prosecuted for allowing people to smoke in a bar has now lost his alcohol licence. Hugh 'Hamish' Howitt was fined £500 for offences at 'Delboy's Sports Bar' and ordered to pay £2,000 costs. After a trading standards inquiry involving other licence breaches, alcohol can no longer be served at Delboy's.
Mr Howitt had the licence revoked by the licensing committee at Blackpool Borough Council. It ruled that there had been a failure to maintain health and safety records and that under-age drinkers had purchased alcohol. A Council spokesman commented that the licence was revoked after it was determined that three of the four licensing objectives had not been upheld, including the protection of public safety. Health and safety laws had also been breached.
However, Mr Howitt said the breaches were fabricated and claimed that, "It is because they can't close me for letting people smoke in my pub". He maintained that, "There is nothing wrong with my pub, it is one of the safest pubs I've ever been in. I allow customers choice, all my non-smoking staff work in the karaoke bar downstairs, and the smoking ones work in the smoking bar."
The intransigent Mr Howitt has vowed to continue allowing smokers to light up. Moreover, Mr Howitt has set up a political party sardonically called 'Fight Against Government Suppression' (FAGS). However, bar owners are obliged to enforce the smoking ban introduced in England on 1 July and the District Judge, Peter Ward, suggested Mr Howitt's campaign, "Has been silly, pointless and misguided. It has achieved nothing. All it seems to have done is cause a great deal of problems for yourself."
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