A+ Boffins

Coming on to 2 years after the ban was brought into effect a quiet little pub in Barnsley have done their homework and have been able to work around the smoking ban.

James Martin, 40, a customer on the Cutting Edge pub has studied The Smoke-Free Regulations 2007 and found a "legal loophole". This now means that the pub can now offer indoor smoking if a room in the building is classed as a "smoking research center".

The landlady, Kerry Fenton, has explained to the press that before the research centre opened she was lucky to get 10 people in at a weekend and she was struggling to survive.

'It's certainly given business a shot in the arm and it's all in the name of research, legal and above board. On Friday we had 29, on Saturday 31 and on Sunday 46 customers in the tap room.'