Smoke ban rebel fined (From Blackpool Citizen)

Smoke ban rebel fined

2:40pm Monday 5th November 2007

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Blackpool's smoke ban rebel Hamish Howitt today became the first landlord in the country to be convicted for defying the smoking ban.

The owner of the Happy Scots Bar and Dell Boys Sports Bar in Rigby Road was ordered to pay £2,515 for allowing people to smoke in his bars.

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Mr Howitt, 55, of Park Road, Blackpool, had originally pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of allowing people to smoke in the bars, but changed his plea to guilty.

Each charge carried a maximum fine of £2,500, but he was given a conditional discharge for two years for the first seven offences, and fined £100 each for a further five offences.

He was also ordered to pay £2,000 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Mr Howitt's bars could still be forced to close though, when the council reviews his licence at a town hall meeting later this month.

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