A LANDLORD claimed in the County Gazette in September 2007 that some pubs could go bust because of the smoking ban that had been imposed in July that year.

Carl Ashley, of Taunton’s (since defunct) Westgate Inn, said the atmosphere in his pub had changed and business was down since the ban on lighting up in public places in England.

“The pub’s completely changed. It could put me out of business,” said father-of-three Mr Ashley.

“The atmosphere with the football and bands has altered – people are staying outside.

"Even non-smokers are joining them.

“I spent £6,000 for a smokers’ shelter in the beer garden, but the pub is a lot quieter and business has declined.

"If it carries on we’re in danger of losing our livelihood.”

Mr Ashley reckoned things would get worse in the winter.

“Once winter sets in it’s going to affect pubs left, right and centre,” he said.

“There’s a good chance some will go bust.”

He also slammed non-smokers who previously claimed the only thing keeping them out of their local was the smoke.

“I’ve yet to have the hoards of nonsmokers who repeatedly said ‘if it wasn’t so smoky, my eyes didn’t sting and my clothes wouldn’t stink of cigarette smoke I’d go to the pub’ descend upon my pub en masse as promised.”

At the Princess Royal in Taunton, landlord Tim Prosser has also had a poor summer, but he believed it was unconnected to the smoking ban.

“It hasn’t affected trade to any great extent,” said Mr Prosser, who built a smoking pavilion outside.

“The weather has had more of an impact – trade is down about 5 per cent because of a very bad July and August.”