The majority of pubs in England and Wales want the smoking ban to stay in place, according to recent research.

The survey of 500 licencees, conducted on behalf of Britvic and The Publican, found that three quarters would not want the ban overturned.

A quarter claimed that they have attracted new customers since the ban was introduced, while 20 per cent say they’ve seen an increase in food sales.

However, 26 per cent said they believed the ban was a negative move.

Elspeth Lee, senior tobacco control manager at Cancer Research UK, said: “This is welcome news. We already know that the vast majority of people think the smoking ban is a good thing and that there’s clear evidence that it has already improved the health of barworkers.

“Continued strong and widespread support from pub landlords can only help maximise the health benefits to all.”

The survey also revealed that 51 per cent of licencees had heard mainly positive feedback from customers, while 22 per cent thought customer reaction had been mainly negative.