THE government has begun consultation on its proposals to ban smoking in public places - but Bolton's health chiefs have already delivered their verdict.

They say the measures do not go far enough.

Plans to stub out smoking in enclosed public places were announced in a government white paper - but fell short of a blanket ban, as called for by the Bolton Evening News' Stub It Out campaign.

The Department of Health document aims to make all central government departments, including local authority buildings and NHS buildings, smoke-free by the end of next year.

At the end of 2007, all enclosed public places and workplaces, other than licensed premises and those specifically exempted, would be no smoking.

Pubs that serve food would impose a ban by the end of 2008.

Smoking would no longer be allowed at bars in pubs in just over three years time if the report is given the go-ahead.

But Deborah Smethurst, a public health specialist in the Primary Care Trust (PCT), believes the proposals do not go far enough.

She said: "The proposed exemptions for licensed premises that do not serve food undermine the government's aim of reducing the risk to health from exposure to second-hand smoke.

"Staff who work in exempted premises will continue to be exposed to second-hand smoke.

"They also run counter to the government's objective of reducing inequalities in health, as exempted premises are most likely to be those located in poorer communities where people already have poorer health."

Debbie Smethurst, who specialises in workplace health and tobacco control for the PCT, said: "The risk of exposure to second-hand smoke is the same whether or not an establishment serves food, and there are no logical grounds for this exemption."

Barbara Ronson, leader of Bolton Council, added: "This is a bit of a fudge.

"We were hoping the proposed legislation would be a bit firmer.

"We had hoped the ban would be universal.

"I hope we can take this as far forward as possible, and see where we go from there."

But town centre licensees argue that the plans are too draconian. Some have even said they will stop serving food in order to enable customers to continue smoking in their pub.

John Jewitt, landlord of the Man and Scythe on Churchgate and the town's most long-serving licensee, said: "It'll be interesting to see how food is defined. I can't see how cold snacks can be included, which is all we serve.

"But if it did include that, I would just drop the food. I don't think I'd be the only one.

"If I did have to ban smoking, my trade would certainly go downhill and it wouldn't be worth me carrying on."

He added: "I think this ban will cause enormous problems, but we have known it was inevitable.

"I even held stop smoking clinics, but they weren't very well attended. Out of all those who attended, only one member of staff actually managed to give up."