no smoking

wonderful article in the times today about a pub in cornwall trying to circumvent the no-smoking ban that comes into effect across england starting 1st july. you can find the whole article here, but here are some snippets:

"Peru snubs pub, stubs out smoking ploy
by Sam Knight

A pub in Cornwall has failed in its attempt to become a Peruvian consulate, and thereby escape the smoking ban. The landlords of the Peruvian Arms in Penzance, an 18th century pub built with the proceeds of the Peruvian silver mines, received a letter from the Peruvian Ambassador to the UK, Ricardo Luna Mendoza, turning down their request this morning. "They said 'No', of course. Due to the Geneva Convention and things like that," said Debbie Trevithick. "The Ambassador said they were going to have a meeting about it, but it was only a joke I suppose." Lima was apparently unmoved by Ms Trevithick's offers to accentuate the already Peruvian aspects of the bar should it be granted consular status, including promises that the staff would learn Spanish, play the national anthem, observe Peruvian holidays and buy a llama.

Consulates and embassies are exempt from the smoking ban, which covers all pubs, clubs, membership clubs, cafes and restaurants in England, under the cloak of diplomatic immunity, the Department of Health confirmed. Although it is unclear whether becoming a Peruvian consulate would have been an advantage for Ms Trevithick's pub: the country has had its own smoking ban since 1991."