THE Government last night paved the way for a total smoking ban in all North-East pubs and clubs.

MPs will be allowed a free vote on the issue - and it is thought backbenchers will force all pub and club drinkers to stub it out.

Last night, the Government's U-turn was greeted with dismay by publicans and clubmen, some of whom fear for their livelihoods.

Health Secretary Patricia Hewitt swiftly let it be known that she would support a move to make all bars tobacco-free.

And although Prime Minister Tony Blair has not said which way he will vote, his official spokesman said he now recognised the momentum of the public mood towards totally smoke-free zones.

The Downing Street U-turn followed months of pressure to scrap proposals to exempt licensed premises not serving food.

Health charities welcomed the decision, but the pro-smoking pressure group Forest called it "spineless and unprincipled".

Licensees in the region said last night they feared some pubs and clubs would be forced out of business if a smoking ban was thrust upon them.

Les McPherson, secretary of North Ormesby Working Men's Club, in Middlesbrough, estimated about half his 2,000 members smoked and therefore believed club profits would be hit.

He said: "A lot of drinkers will be unhappy and if they went ahead with the ban, a lot of clubs will be badly affected.

"It would certainly affect the turnover in clubs. I suppose people may not come.

"Personally, I'm a non-smoker, so I would like it, but I feel we have to give people an option, even if it's just a room in each premises where people can smoke. You can't ban it altogether."

Richard Sewell, chairman of Hartlepool Licensing Association, said: "It's obviously going to have a big impact, depending on the style of establishment you run.

"Obviously, people like to drink and smoke and there will be some premises hit so badly, they could close down, without a doubt. But, where one place closes, another will benefit.

"However, I don't think there is any doubt that a ban will be brought in eventually. It doesn't matter how the licensees feel. It is Tony Blair's mission."

But the news was welcomed by people in the region campaigning for a total ban.

Dr Maggie Ireland, who helped establish the successful Smoke Free Derwentside pressure group, said: "This is a victory. We have been campaigning for some time for this. It is brilliant."

Ailsa Rutter, director of the Smoke Free North East campaign, known as Fresh, said: "Secondhand smoke is dangerous to the health of non-smokers and in particular is a workplace health and safety risk and we support a total ban on smoking in the workplace."

Seven North-East MPs were among the 70 Labour backbenchers who signed a parliamentary motion demanding a "complete and total ban on smoking in pubs".

They are Dr Roberta Blackman-Woods, Frank Cook, Jim Cousins, Sharon Hodgson, Chris Mullin, Denis Murphy and Dari Taylor.

Ms Hodgson said: "I know it won't be popular with a lot of people in my working men's clubs, but the health arguments are very strong."

Dr Blackman-Woods said: "I think we will get a total ban through, with this free vote. We can then protect workers in pubs and clubs from the effects of second-hand smoke."

But Houghton and Washington East MP Fraser Kemp, a "semi-reformed smoker", said he was still uncertain which way he would vote.

He said: "There are a lot of people who think they should be able to enjoy a smoke when they go to their pub or club and I don't think their voices have been heard as loudly."