Welcome to Smoke-on-Trent... the only British city where smokers can still light up thanks to a council blunder

Stoke-on-Trent has been renamed Smoke-on-Trent by publicans after council workers failed to get enforcement powers in time for the July 1 ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces.

Addicts are now flocking to the city's 400 pubs and bars, as well as lighting up in enclosed spaces such as bus shelters, without fear of a £50 on-the-spot fine.

The council, branded one of the worst in the country by the Audit Commission, will not be able to enforce the ban until councillors formally approve it at a meeting on August 2.

Landlords say they were fully prepared for the ban, which came into force in England and Wales at the start of the month.

But as soon as word got out about the council's bungle regulars picked up their ashtrays and dashed indoors.

Dax Robateau, owner of the Smithfield pub, told newspaper reporters he spent £21,000 building outside smoking shelters.

Now posters in his bar declare "Welcome to Smoke-on-Trent".

He said: "We were all ready for the ban on July 1. It seems the only people who weren't ready were the council.

"I'm going to allow customers to carry on smoking until August."

The blunder happened because council bosses believed the powers were delegated to a department head.

A council spokesman said: "We don't have enforcement powers because Stoke has both a mayor and a council manager.

"We thought enforcement powers were delegated to the director of community services - but they weren't.

"We'd no intention of prosecuting people in the early days. But where people deliberately flout the ban we can take action retrospectively."