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Recent speculation on whether the Government may seek to enforce a total ban on smoking in the UK’s bars and restaurants has reignited a long standing debate about the commercial impact of such a decision. Running alongside these considerations is the health and safety question and the possible harmful consequences for those working in smoky environments. Reports a small‐scale piece of research which compares the smoking arrangements found in several restaurants. The findings suggest that those restaurants already operating a total ban on smoking may actually be opposed to Government legislation, as this would remove from them a potential source of competitive advantage. Thus, the paper suggests that those restaurants which operate a total smoking ban may enjoy some commercial benefits, especially if the question of partially or totally banning smoking remains a voluntary one.