'I don't see the harm if it's outside' - smoking on track gets the thumbs up from racegoers at Sandown

Reports that the British government may extend the smoking ban to include many outdoor places brought condemnation from bosses of racecourses, assumed to be targeted along with spaces like pub gardens, outdoor restaurants and outside sports grounds. Catherine Macrae gauged the reaction from racegoers at Sandown on Friday . . .

It would bother me if they banned it. As long as it's outside or in a designated area then you should be allowed. If I couldn't smoke in the vicinity of a course I wouldn't go. If you ban smoking then they could start looking at alcohol, that's the old argument.
Glynn Waters, Northamptonshire

It doesn't bother me [people smoking]. If people have somewhere specific they can go to smoke, then what does it matter to everyone else. People use their common sense, they don't smoke near kids or right next to the horses, but if there's somewhere they can go then I don't think that would do any harm.
Kat, Northamptonshire

I don't think it [smoking] is a problem as long as it's out in the open air. I'm an owner with three horses, and I like to smoke, and I think if I was told not to smoke in the paddock I'd say that's fair enough, I'm not going to be keeping horses. 

I'm quite in favour of people smoking outside. I'm 73 and I probably know about ten people who have died of cancer, a lot of whom never smoked. Most of the people who complain about smoking are in big cities, where they're breathing in all sorts of stuff, but it's smoking they want to ban. 

The amount of money you spend smoking is more than paying for any of the NHS costs. If it's outdoors I don't think they should ban it at all.  
Tex Tidbull, Devon

I don't think a ban is necessary. Inside, of course, but outside you can keep away from smokers if you want to. It could turn smokers off going racing, and I think it works fine as it is.
David Brittan, Hampton Hill

I've already noticed people smoking here, and more than vaping you can catch the smell quickly depending on where you're sitting. People do long-haul flights and don't smoke, so it is possible they could do a day's racing without it.
Annette, Ascot

We're not smokers, but I don't see the harm if it's outside. I understand why they're doing it but it will affect the revenue of courses. People will just sneak off and do it somewhere on the grounds anyway. 

It's a difficult one and it will be tricky to police. When you're in a pub or aircraft you can police it quite easily, but a place of this scale will be hard to monitor.
Paul, Ascot

My wife used to smoke but gave it up and I don't mind the idea [of a wider ban] at all. I haven't seen anybody smoking at the track today so far, and it's doesn't bother me much either way.
Julian Davies, Farnham

Read this next:

Racecourse bosses criticise the British government's plan for 'mad, idiotic' outdoor smoking ban 

Sign up to receive On The Nose, our essential daily newsletter, from the Racing Post. Your unmissable morning feed, direct to your email inbox every morning.