As a non-smoker I have welcomed the smoking ban but I do sympathise with smokers to an extent.

But I thought the ban actually began 1st July but in Halesowen Town Centre it seems to have began a little early.

Has anyone else noticed the increase of shop staff congregating in groups for their intake of nicotine.

It really isn't a pleasant sight.

I would have thought shops and businesess would have provided smoking areas and not wanted smokers huddling outside their stores under a cloud of smoke.

It really isn't a good advertisement but also none of them seem to use the litter bins, so we'll have an increase of cigarette butts left all over the place.

Mrs P Holloway, Halesowen