A smoking ban on indoor eating and entertainment venues across Hong Kong, expected to come into effect in October, could be delayed.

In an apparent victory for the catering and entertainment industry, the South China Morning Post said, imposition of the ban is likely to be staggered, giving more time for bars, saunas, nightclubs and mahjong parlors to prepare for the new regulation.

A government source was quoted as saying Wednesday that under new proposals restaurants would not become smoke-free until 2007 and bars in 2009. The ban could be delayed until as late as 2011 for saunas, nightclubs and mahjong parlors.

The news received a welcome from Hong Kong's catering industry representatives, who called for more leniency for some types of venues.

Proposed amendments to the Smoking Ordinance, under study by a Legislative Council bills committee, are due to be discussed Friday.

Anthony Lock Kwok-on, spokesman for the Catering and Entertainment Premises Smoking Ban Regulations Concern Group, welcomed the new proposal.

"It is wrong to impose a ban on all of us in one go," he was quoted by the Post as saying. He urged more leniency, predicting that most saunas and mahjong parlors would close if smoking were completely banned.

He suggested allowing smoking rooms such as those at airports.

"These rooms could be very tiny, where no service at all is offered and customers only enter to smoke. Our workers only need to go there to clean the room once in a while. It is by no means more risky than walking in the streets with someone smoking next to you."

(Shenzhen Daily/Agencies January 20, 2006)