Northern Ireland to allow stage smoking after 2007 ban

Published Tuesday 10 October 2006 at 16:05 by Alistair Smith

Smoking on stage will be allowed in Northern Ireland, after the region’s Department of Health agreed to exempt theatrical performances from the forthcoming ban.

The move means that Scotland remains the only part of the UK to have refused to exclude entertainment from the ban, which will come into force in all sections of Britain by next summer.

Currently, Scotland is the only part of Britain in which new legislation has already come into force and the Scottish Executive has refused to allow an exemption for cigarettes to be used in theatre, television or film. Both Northern Ireland and England have now confirmed that actors will be exempt from the ban when performing and the issue has yet to be decided in Wales.

The decision to allow smoking on stage in Northern Ireland was taken by the Department of Health after lobbying from the Theatrical Management Association. Real cigarettes will be permitted in theatrical performances, as opposed to shows south of the border in Ireland, where actors must use herbal cigarettes. Even this is banned in Scotland.

The news has raised further concerns that Scotland, and possibly Wales, which do not allow smoking on stage, could suffer from touring productions not visiting the area if the play in question features characters who smoke.

TMA chief executive Richard Pulford said that he was certain that this would be the case, adding that indigenous theatre groups would also suffer because they would not be able to perform certain works properly.

Meanwhile, Equity welcomed the news of the exemption, adding they had had assurances that a similar deal had been reached in England. A spokesman added: “We hope this means that Wales will go the same way and perhaps prompt a rethink in Scotland. There are fears that certain television programmes might be forced to move south of the border [if the ban persists].”

Meanwhile, the UK’s club sector, which will not be exempt from the forthcoming smoking ban, is planning to petition MPs on the issue.

There are an estimated 3,500 social club venues in the UK, with around 2,500 within the Club and Institute Union alone, the majority of which employ entertainers and musicians. The sector is already struggling and observers fear the smoking ban could deter customers and lead to more closures.

The ban is reportedly already having a hugely damaging effect to the Scottish clubland market and there is fear of a similar result when the law comes into force in England and Wales next summer.

The new law was passed with a majority of over 200 in Parliament and many clubs around the country, such as Luton Social Working Men’s Club, have been checking how their local MP voted.

Luton club official Sean Spillane commented: “I appeal again to all members to start a petition in your own club and send the results to your local MP. He or she may be one of the 200 or so MPs who turned their backs on us.”