Pub's Ploy Peters Out

[conlor]

The owner of a British pub appears to have failed in a bid to get around the country's impending smoking ban by having the establishment declared an embassy.

Bob Beech had planned to have the Wellington Arms in Southampton declared the embassy for the uninhabited Caribbean island of Redonda. Embassies will be exempt from the smoking ban.

Beech even was bestowed a knighthood by the ruler of the tiny atoll, King Robert the Bald, who lives in Antigua and whose real name is Bob Williamson, Sky News reported Wednesday. But a British Foreign Office spokeswoman said Redonda is a territory of Antigua and Barbuda, and so is not entitled to an embassy.

Beech told Sky News not to worry. "We have a Plan B. It's cunning in its simplicity," he said without elaborating.

Southampton City Council Councilor Gavin Dick said the city will be "following with interest the Wellington Arms public house matter" but expects the pub to be smoke-free when the new law goes into effect Sunday.

Tobacco Articles: category crime

[Snowden]

It'll be interesting to see what he comes up with. I have a feeling he will have some way out of it for a while, at least.

[conlor]

He made a good try.