Published: Monday 13th November 2023 | 12.26pm
Amanda Frisby, publican of The Cabin pub in Rugeley, Staffordshire has been ordered to pay a total of £766 after being found smoking in the bar - and allowing customers to smoke on the premises.
As part of an unrelated investigation, police officers viewed CCTV evidence of Frisby and others smoking at the pub, outside normal opening hours, and passed on the evidence to Cannock Chase Council, where the Environmental Health Service is responsible for enforcing smokefree legislation.
Frisby was later interviewed by Staffordshire Police and an Officer from the Council’s Environmental Health team when she admitted to both smoking and permitting others to smoke inside the premises, despite being aware that it is illegal to do so.
Five other people that were present were also issued with fixed penalties for smoking in a smoke free premises (an offence under the Health Act 2006).
Councillor Andrea Muckley, Portfolio Leader for Environment and Climate Change, at Cannock Chase Council said: “The dangers of breathing other people’s tobacco smoke are well known. These laws were brought in seventeen years ago to protect public health. The law is clear and simple: anyone caught smoking in a smoke free place or anyone who allows smoking in such a place is committing an offence which results in a fixed penalty notice or prosecution.
“The Council greatly values the assistance of Staffordshire Police in this matter, which shows partnership working at its best.”
Photograph:
Exterior of The Cabin pub, Market Square, Rugeley