The UK government is reportedly considering a sweeping ban on smoking in various outdoor spaces, including pub gardens, outdoor restaurants, outside sports venues, nightclubs, and small parks.

According to a leaked report obtained by The Sun, these proposed measures aim to protect public health but have sparked a heated debate over personal freedom and the potential impact on businesses.

While the government has not officially commented on the “secret Whitehall papers,” the proposed restrictions have already drawn sharp criticism from industry leaders and think tanks.

Michael Kill, CEO of the Night Time Industries Association, voiced his concerns about the implications of such a ban, questioning if the UK is “on the brink of becoming a nanny state.”

“This raises the critical question: Are we on the brink of becoming a nanny state? What is next?”

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He added: “While these measures may rightly be driven by public health considerations, they risk dividing opinion and imposing yet another regulatory burden on businesses already facing considerable challenges.

“At a time when our industry desperately needs the freedom to trade, the last thing we need is further barriers.”

Kill also pointed out that many of the 6.4 million smokers in the UK enjoy smoking in social settings like beer gardens, suggesting that a ban might not align with public interest but rather could lead to over-regulation that harms both personal freedoms and business viability.

Reem Ibrahim of the Institute of Economic Affairs think tank echoed these sentiments, describing the potential ban as “another nail in the coffin for the pub industry.”

She pointed at the government’s own impact assessment, which concluded that banning smoking outdoors could result in pub closures and job losses.

She said: “Pubs and other private venues should be able to determine their own outdoor smoking rules—just as they should be allowed to decide whether to play music, serve food, or show football on TV.”

Ibrahim added: “Smoking rates are already declining in the UK, in large part due to smokers switching to safer alternatives to combustible cigarettes.

“The government should look to countries like Sweden, which has attained the lowest prevalence of smoking in the world not by implementing nanny state measures like this proposal, but by allowing adults to choose safer and healthier products.”

In response to the leaked report, a spokesperson for the Department of Health and Social Care said: “We do not comment on leaks.

“Smoking claims 80,000 lives a year, puts huge pressure on our NHS, and costs taxpayers billions.

“We are determined to protect children and non-smokers from the harms of second-hand smoking. We’re considering a range of measures to finally make Britain smoke-free.”

The debate over outdoor smoking bans comes as the Labour Party plans to resurrect Prime Minister Rishi Sunak‘s previously shelved flagship smoking ban before the election.

The proposed legislation would gradually increase the legal smoking age, aiming for a scenario where a 14-year-old today would never be able to legally purchase cigarettes.

Additionally, Labour has laid out plans to impose limits on the sale and marketing of vapes, reflecting a broader push to curb smoking and promote public health.

So what do YOU think? Do you agree with Labour’s plan to ban smoking in pubs? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comment section below.