A PRIVATE club has called for a smoking ban in licensed premises.

Seaham Conservative Club, in east Durham, which has 600 members, wants the Government to ban smoking in all workplaces, including pubs and clubs.

Club bosses are concerned about the health of bar staff, but are also worried that a partial ban could lead to customers going elsewhere.

The official stance of the Association of Conservative Clubs, which has 1,100 members, is that clubs should be allowed to make their own decision about a smoking ban.

The Club and Institute Union, which has about 2,500 members and represents the majority of working men's clubs in the region is also against a total ban.

The Government is considering plans for a workplace smoking ban that exempts pubs that do not serve prepared food and allows private club members to vote for or against a ban.

But the proposals have been criticised by the British Medical Association, which fears it would widen health inequalities, as most smoke-free pubs would be in the healthier parts of England.

Derek Dixon, chairman of Seaham Conservative Club, said: "All we are asking for is a level playing field. If the Government introduced a law saying all pubs and private clubs had to go smoke-free, then there would be no danger of losing customers to our competitors."