JD Wetherspoon today scrapped plans to ban smoking in all its pubs within the next three months.

The group - which has two pubs in Huddersfield town centre, one in Brighouse and others across West Yorkshire - said it would put off a total ban until the introduction of legislation preventing smoking in the workplace, due to come into force in 2007.

Announcing the move alongside a 21% rise in half-year profits to £27.4m, chairman Tim Martin said the goalposts had moved after the Government decided to bring forward a national ban by 18 months.

In addition, sales at the 49 pubs that JD Wetherspoon converted into non-smoking outlets have fallen - down 7.6% in the three months to January 22.