Businesses and organisations across the area told Mike Laycock they are backing the Yes Clean Air campaign.

Customers have been banned from smoking at the Michael Andrew Salon in York's Coppergate Centre for the past ten years.

But owners Ali and Andrew McCloud say the premises became a completely smoke-free building about three years ago when the ban was extended to staff as well.

"New legislation came out saying that if smoking was allowed in the staff room, a designated area needed to be provided for non-smoking staff," said Ali. "We only had a small staff room and that just wasn't practicable, and so we made it a no-smoking building."

Ali said that, with lots of chemicals around in the hair products, it made sense for there to be a complete ban on smoking and customers generally accepted it happily. She said some would probably refuse to use the salon if smoking was allowed.

Some did ask if they could smoke but accepted it when told there wasn't anywhere.

Just a few went outside for a fag if they couldn't bear to wait half an hour.

Smoking was banned last autumn throughout the Blue Bell pub at Alne, near Easingwold and landlord Michael Anson says the decision to call time on lighting up has continued to prove popular ever since.

The pub was believed to be the first in the region to impose a total smoking ban, but it certainly won't be the last, with Wetherspoons planning to introduce a ban at its Posterngate pub in Piccadilly, York.

Mr Anson says pubs like his have nothing to fear from stubbing out smoking.

"You get the odd one who doesn't like it, but many people say it's nice their clothing is still fresh at the end of the evening," he said, adding that people who wanted to smoke went out the back for a cigarette.

As most of his trade was food-based, with only the odd person coming in just for a drink and a very small percentage of smokers, he had never anticipated a negative reaction.

He said diners did not like eating with smoke swirling around them.

Anyone entering Quartz Travel's offices in Heworth with a fag hanging out of their mouth gets no further than the door before being asked to stub it out.

It's the same story on the Quartz Travel Shuttle, a minibus service operated in conjunction with the travel agency to get passengers to airports such as Manchester, Gatwick and Heathrow.

Director Paul Smith says smoking has been completely banned since he opened the travel agency last autumn.

He says some customers are startled by the request to extinguish their cigarettes, and a few more than a little put out. "I had a couple of chaps who were a bit off," he said. "I've probably lost a couple of bookings through it. But those who don't like it are outweighed by many more who really appreciate it."

Paul, himself a non-smoker, says he used to work in the airline industry at the time when smokers were still allowed to light up at the back of the plane. "It was very unpleasant," he said.

And he said he did not see why he should put the health of himself and his staff at risk because of someone else's desire to smoke.

"If people want to smoke and die early, that's their business, but there's no reason why they should kill me as well."

One of the area's first smoke-free zones was created 14 years ago at the offices of Selby District Association of Voluntary Services.

Chief Officer Gill Cashmore says the smoking ban was prompted partly by the fact the organisation's Selby offices were then situated on the top floor of a three storey building. "The implications if there had been a fire would have been horrendous," she said. But she said she herself was also keen to work in a clean air environment.

"There was some opposition at first," said Gill, whose organisation provides information and support to more than 200 voluntary and community groups across the Selby district.

But she said people adapted to the change and two members of staff were even prompted to give up smoking.

Those who do still smoke are able to light up in the back yard of the current premises in Abbey Yard.

Gill said that the no smoking ban would apply when the AVS moves later this year to new headquarters. The premises will feature a conference suite where smoking will also be banned.

Updated: 10:14 Monday, May 09, 2005