SIX years ago today a ban prohibiting smoking in public places was introduced across the country.

While some pubs have seen some negative effects, many have hailed the ban as a success.

There was initial outcry from landlords and pub regulars alike when the ban was first enforced but many have since adapted to the changes in the law.

“There have been positives and negative effects to the ban,” said Mark Richardson, manager of the Rat Trap pub in Stratton.

“We have certainly seen a fall in the drinks side of the business but on the other hand there has been a noticeable increase in the food trade.

“We spent a lot of money to make sure there was a nice outside area and we knocked down a wall to open up the bar area. It’s just been a case of changing with the times.”

Other smaller pubs struggled to begin with but have since recovered and even come to see the benefits of the ban.

“Initially I think there was a drop off in trade,” said Mike Boon, the bar manager at the Beehive in Old Town. “However, with the recession on it is hard to quantify the exact amount.

“I now think the ban is a good thing and I say that as a smoker myself. The pub does not need to be refurbished as often because it does not get as damaged through the smoke.

“Without the smokers I think there is a better atmosphere in the pub.”

Pubs are not the only ones to see a benefit from the law change.

Since the smoking ban came into effect, the South West has seen one of the biggest decreases in smoking across the country, with policies in Swindon leading the way.

Cherry Jones, acting director of public health in Swindon, said: “The number of people smoking in Swindon has gone down over the last few years which is great news for the individual and for their friends and family.

“However, we know that two out of 10 people are still smoking in Swindon and, given the positive impact not smoking has on people’s health and their pockets in these hard times, we need to ensure that anyone thinking about stopping or who is currently in the process of quitting has all the help and support they need.

“In Swindon creating smoke free environments, providing excellent stop smoking services, reducing the number of children who start smoking and reducing the sale of illegal tobacco have all contributed to tackling our local smoking rates.”

It is not all good news however with new government figures showing 13 per cent of new mothers said they were smokers at the time of their delivery.

Andrea Dickens, deputy director of Smokefree South West, said: “We know that smoking during pregnancy causes up to 2,200 premature births, 5,000 miscarriages and 300 perinatal deaths every year in the UK.

“It also increases the risk of developing a number of respiratory conditions; attention and hyperactivity difficulties; learning difficulties; problems of the ear, nose and throat; obesity; and diabetes.

“By offering every pregnant woman in the country a simple breath test to identify her level of exposure to carbon monoxide, smokers will have all the information they need to make an informed choice about quitting at a crucial stage in their baby’s development.”