PUB owner David Leighton has decided to test the waters by declaring his new lounge bar a no-smoking zone.

His move comes ahead of legislation that will ban smoking in all pubs and clubs next year.

Although smoking will continue in the rest of The Old Horse Shoe at Crook, the refurbished lounge bar will be out of bounds for customers who want to light up.

Mr Leighton said: "I think it is very important that we are in a position to gauge customers' reaction when the blanket no-smoking law comes into force next year.

"Our customers will still have the option of lighting up at the other bars in the pub, but the new lounge bar will be strictly off-limits to smokers."

Mr Leighton said that at first the lounge bar would only be open at weekends "to test the waters".

The ban will also apply to staff working in the lounge.

Bar manager Yvonne Nelson - a smoker for 25 years- said: "It's going to be difficult, but it might help me to cut down."

And cleaner Carole Bilton, who smokes between ten and 15 cigarettes a day, said: "I enjoy my tabs too much to think of giving up. So I suppose I will just have to go outside to enjoy a smoke, like I do at home."