Even before it became law, Stuart Isbister had a no smoking policy at his small gift shop.
Not that it was much of an issue - in fact he can't recall a customer ever having lit up while browsing his shelves.
Which makes it all the more astonishing that Mr Isbister has just been dragged through the courts by his local council because he failed to display a small no smoking sign.
In a case costing the taxpayer thousands of pounds, he was pursued with the full force of the law by his Labour-run authority - until the action was yesterday thrown out by magistrates.
The 49-year-old shopkeeper began when an enforcement officer arrived and issued him with a £200 on-the- spot fine for failing to display the sign in his window.
The Government's smoking ban has generated a massive bureaucracy and army of enforcement officers in councils. Rules require all stores, public buildings and even churches to put up an A5 - 8.3in by 5.8in - nosmoking sign.
But Mr Isbister was so angry that cash- strapped councils can find the money to enforce the red tape, he decided to fight the fine. He said: 'We just do not think it necessary to have a sign.
'We have a small amount of space and we wanted to keep the door area simple and uncluttered.
'The sign we are expected to have is A5 and is equivalent to one required for a huge shopping centre.
Good on him for fighting, these communist scum need to realize that we pay their wages and they work for us, not the other way around.
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