THE sight of huddled figures crowding around pub doorways has become a familiar one around Swindon and the country since the introduction of a ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces.

Ahead of the ban, which came into force on July 1, publicans feared for their trade, while some smokers claimed it breached their human rights.

But how has the new law affected people six months after it was introduced?

Mike Sheridan, owner of Longs Bar in Old Town, couldn't wait for the ban and spent a total of £12,000 revamping the venue.

He was also looking forward to the health benefits to his staff as they would no longer be forced to inhale customers' fumes.

"It has hit trade a bit, not majorly though," he said.

"This time of year it is busy anyway, and I don't mind trade being down a bit if staff and customers have a cleaner, smoke-free place to come to.

"There are new customers all the time now and I think it's part of the fact that they can come into a cleaner environment.

"Food sales have picked up as well with it being smoke-free here.

"People have been very good, I've not had to stop anyone and people just go out into the courtyard or by the front door."

Smokers still have mixed feelings about the ban, with some changing their social habits while others used it as a good excuse to stub out their last cigarette.

Credit controller Stacie Pitcher, 19, of Bridgemead, said: "I do still smoke as I didn't really want to quit when the ban came in.

"I think it has changed what I do, though. I probably go to pubs less rather than smoking less. If I can't sit inside, I'd rather go to a friend's house where I can have a drink and smoke - and it saves me money to do it that way.

"They could have gone about the ban in a better way. If there were proper ventilation systems and proper closed-off areas - not just another side of the pub with no walls in between as a smoking area."

But her colleague Sandie Lavers quit a year ago, knowing the ban was on its way.

"I was fed up with freezing my butt off and getting snowed on through my kitchen window and decided I was being a total idiot with the health risks," she said.

"I knew the ban was on the cards and what the implications would be as a smoker and decided it was probably easier to be a non-smoker."

Enforcement of the ban is carried out by members of Swindon Council's environmental health team.

Safety and food team manager Janice Bardwell said that so far no action had been taken over venues breaching the ban, although 37 complaints have been received about alleged breaches.

In total the team has carried out about 1,000 visits in the past six months, which have been tied into other inspections, initially taking in pubs, clubs and restaurants before moving onto other workplaces.

"We have had huge levels of compliance, and not many businesses have seen this as a problem," said Ms Bardwell.

"One of the hardest kind of place to deal with has been care homes, which have a smoking room for residents as it is their actual private home, but the staff have to go out and huddle around the door."