THERE was mixed reaction at Newport’s Royal Gwent hospital yesterday following the ban on smoking in the grounds of all Gwent hospitals.

The Argus reported yesterday how smoking shelters at the Royal Gwent, St Woolos and Nevill Hall were ripped out to mark national No Smoking Day.

Anyone now wishing to light up must leave the hospital grounds to do so.

Patients, visitors and staff were among those having to stand outside the grounds of the Royal Gwent yesterday with many saying they were against the new rules.

Gaynor White, of Newport, who was visiting a patient, said: “I think there should still be a designated area people can go to smoke.

“It’s not safe if patients are coming out into the road to smoke.”

Melanie Fisher, 26, of Newport, said: “I think they should have just kept it as before. There should still be designated areas.”

A staff member, who did not want to be named, said: “It can be very stressful working at a hospital and we can’t have a cigarette.

“What about staff that work at night who have to come right outside to smoke?”

But others agreed with the ban.

James Sutton who works in IT at the hospital said: “I think it will help encourage people to quit the more that the community makes smokers feel isolated.”

The hospitals are the last three Aneurin Bevan Health Board sites to introduce the ban with a spokesman saying the first day had gone “extremely well with virtually everyone complying.”

He said: “We’ve found that smokers themselves have been very understanding of the need to keep entrances clean and safe for everyone and we are very grateful for their support.”