Public Divided Over Outdoor Smoking Ban

Liverpool City Council has approved more than 200 smoke-free pavement licences since April, making outdoor food and drink areas across the city non-smoking zones.

The move is part of efforts to reduce second-hand smoke exposure, cut down on smoking-related litter, and encourage more people to quit. Vaping, however, remains permitted under the council’s current policy.

According to a local poll, nearly three-quarters of respondents supported the initiative. On the streets of Liverpool, opinions were similarly positive.

Castle Street Town House bar manager Damian Gajdul said staff politely remind customers to step outside designated areas if they light up. “They may give backchat but in the end they just move,” he explained, adding that the ban has also eased