SMOKING is being stubbed out at the BIC and Pavilion, despite the council's uncertainty on whether to proceed with a blanket ban.

Councillors and union members agreed last week to wait for the results of a staff consultation process before deciding whether their buildings, entrances, car parks and gardens should become a smoke-free zone.

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But staff at the newly-refurbished conference centre are keen to introduce a smoke-free policy as soon as possible.

And they have now announced plans to ban smoking in virtually all areas of the BIC and Pavilion from December 1, with a view to introducing a full smoke-free policy in the New Year.

During the trial period, visitors will be able to smoke only at the BIC's BH2 bar and at the Pavilion's Phoebe Bar.

But if the trial is a success, even these could become no-smoking zones in 2006.

Stephen Godsall, corporate director responsible for the concert halls, said: "With the BIC just having been renewed, now seems an opportune time to consider the implementation of a smoke-free policy.

"Plus staff are becoming less tolerant of working in smoky atmospheres and we have to consider them.

"We've had quite a lot of feedback from people who want us to consider banning smoking so we're going to introduce it on a trial basis while consulting with clients and customers.

"It's a trial from December and then we will consider introducing a complete no-smoking policy in the New Year."

First published: November 1