CONTROVERSIAL plans to ban smoking in outside cafe areas are being dropped following a backlash from landlords and cafe owners.
Instead licensees will be asked to voluntarily ban smoking outside their premises.
The Chronicle last week revealed how Barnsley Council was considering imposing the ban, which would affect street cafe areas, from April.
But following large scale opposition from landlords and cafe owners the plans have been shelved.
Coun Roy Miller heads the environment department that came up with the idea and told the Chronicle the council had listened to landlords and would not 'go down that path'.
A statement issued by the council said it had been agreed there would be no compulsory ban but a voluntary one.
• Full story in this week's Chronicle.
