The Wildhearts

Stone rolls into smoking ban row


Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards may have flouted Scotland's smoking ban when he played to thousands fans at Glasgow's Hampden Park.
The city council confirmed it was investigating reports that he smoked on stage throughout the gig on Friday.

The veteran rocker could face a £50 fine and Hampden Park could also face a £250 penalty if officials prove the venue failed to enforce the ban.

The rock 'n' roll legends are on the UK leg of their A Bigger Bang world tour.

A ban on smoking in all public places came into effect in Scotland on 26 March this year.

Hampden Park had introduced its own smoking ban three months before the nationwide ban was introduced.

At the beginning of this month, actor Mel Smith was warned not to smoke during his performance of Churchill in the play Allegiance at the Edinburgh Fringe festival.

Edinburgh City Council had said that the Assembly Rooms would be shut down if the law was broken.

Neil Rafferty, from the Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco (Forest), said: "This is yet another way in which the smoking ban makes Scotland look ridiculous.

"A few weeks ago we had Mel Smith being forced to compromise his portrayal of Winston Churchill under a threat of the whole venue being closed down, and now we have Scotland's national stadium Hampden Park under investigation for spurious reasons."

However, the anti-tobacco organisation Action on Smoking and Health (Ash) Scotland said celebrities should not be above the law.

Chief executive Maureen Moore said: "The law in Scotland says where you can and cannot smoke and it's been brought in to protect workers and the public from a Class A carcinogen - passive smoking.

"And if he as been breaking the law then he has to pay the penalty like anyone else."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The other annoying thing - It was an outdoor concert. You are free to smoke outside, so why is this a complaint?



Keef minus fag?! Never gonna happen.

Only right aswell. If I had my way smokers would be shot on sight.

However, people who drink and take pills would get a knighthood and be excused the odd smoke.

[quote="EvilElvis] Keef minus fag?! Never gonna happen.[/quote]

Don't ever say that in San Francisco

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/gla ... 292948.stm

Stone 'in clear' over gig smoking


Glasgow City Council will not launch an investigation into claims that Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards flouted the smoking ban at a Hampden concert.
Officials originally said they would look into the allegation, but have now revealed that the stadium's stage is not covered by the legislation.

The veteran rocker and Hampden Park could both have been fined if the venue had failed to enforce the ban.

A council spokesman said: "There are no plans to launch any investigation."

He added: "The stage for the concert was not of the dimensions to be covered by the smoking ban legislation in Scotland."

The rock 'n' roll legends are on the UK leg of their A Bigger Bang world tour.

A ban on smoking in all public places came into effect in Scotland on 26 March this year.

Hampden Park had introduced its own smoking ban three months before the nationwide ban was introduced.

EvilElvis wrote:"The stage for the concert was not of the dimensions to be covered by the smoking ban legislation in Scotland."

Ginger should to get a stage of those dimensions next time he's here, then he won't need to stand on the fire escape.

Oh no, Keef might have to pay a £50 fine. Quick lets have a whip round and help him out.

Smoking should be illeagal in all public places for my liking, the Scots have got it right, but the fine's a bloody joke. At least make it reasonable.

I went to California a few years back, and they have a no smoking in public places policy, it was great going out of anight time, waking up the next morning without the foul stench of stale tobacco. About time it happened here in blighty.