NICHE market bar and restaurant group Market Town Taverns, of Knaresborough, has opened a new no smoking tavern in Wetherby.

The Muse Ale and Wine Bar, Bank Street, Wetherby, which opened on Wednesday night, follows the success of the Arcadia Ale and Wine Bar, Headingley, another no-smoking venue launched by the group last month.

Muse Ale and Wine Bar, formerly Muse Caf, not far from the Market Square, was acquired by Market Town Taverns and converted into a £110,000 investment which is also creating about 15 full and part-time jobs overseen by manager Louise Hardcastle.

Its no smoking edict continues the group's pioneering policy ahead of large national bar and restaurant groups which pander to smokers in spite of changing public opinion and Government pressure for the industry to address the issue.

Ian Fozard, managing director and founder of Market Town Taverns, said: "We conducted research at Muse Caf as to whether existing customers would support a total smoking ban and the response was overwhelmingly positive.

"If people wish to smoke they must do so outside.

"Wetherby is an excellent location and we are pleased to be offering local people an exciting new opportunity to enjoy high-quality food and drink, including a superb range of cask-conditioned ales, in a smoke-free atmosphere

"We are very pleased with the positive public response at Arcadia Ale and Wine Bar where business is good. We have received not one negative comment about the policy. A few people have inadvertently lit up at Arcadia before being asked to stub them out, but have not questioned the policy on being told to do so." Market Town Taverns, which has pioneered large no-smoking areas in all its taverns since it first opened in Harrogate five years ago, also carried out extensive customer research in its existing taverns and at CAMRA beer festivals, which it sponsored, into the future of smoking in taverns before opening Arcadia Ale and Wine Bar.

The bar and restaurant group, which employs more than 100 people, has also excluded alco-pops, gaming machines and loud piped music from all its taverns. The group also has taverns in Harrogate and Northallerton.

Updated: 10:02 Friday, May 14, 2004