Smoking in bars and restaurants is not banned in the UK

The proposals would see a new Office for Tobacco Control in the North East suggest limits on where people can smoke.

The Northumberland, Tyne & Wear Strategic Health Authority is bidding for millions of pounds of funding to set up an Office for Tobacco Control.

The authority says the new body would not have any legal powers to outlaw smoking, but it would encourage pub, restaurant, and shop owners to bring in individual bans.

Dr Euegene Milne, deputy medical director of the authority, said the region had a worse smoking problem than other parts of the country.

Voluntary code

Now the authority has applied for �5m in European cash to set up the Office For Tobacco Control.

It hopes to make smoking socially unacceptable, and will push for outright bans on smoking in public places.

The hospitality industry introduced a voluntary code, called the Public Places Charter in 1999.

It aimed to encourage bars and restaurants to inform potential customers about their smoking policy, by placing signs outside the premises and having a written policy available.