25/06/2009 - Historic pub launches smoking drive
A pub in Wiltshire, close to where tobacco was reputedly smoked for the first time in England by Sir Walter Raleigh, is to run a stop-smoking course.
The 17th century Long Arms in South Wraxall near Bradford-on-Avon is just two fields away from South Wraxall Manor where Sir Walter Raleigh is thought to have first smoked the tobacco pipe.
The course will be run for customers in the autumn and landlady Jacqui Price and head chef Dan Hinds will be among those signing up.
Tobacco is said to have been brought to Britain from the New World by Sir Walter in the late 16th century, and as the explorer smoked his pipe in Wraxall Manor a maid is said to have thought he was on fire and doused him in water.
The pub which Mrs Price and her husband have run for four years, has been affected by the nationwide smoking ban which was introduced in England in July 2007, and the landlady has said that the ban has deterred a number of regulars since. The Long Arm has also suffered because of the recession and Mrs Price has even considered opening later in the evening if the regular drinkers don't return to the pub.
Mrs Price, who smokes 20 a day, said: "It's ironic that we are running a stop smoking course somewhere so closely associated with the start of smoking in this country.
"We hope a place on the course might be a nice present for somebody."
Copyright © Press Association 2009
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