The high street store chain said its decision to reverse a ban put in place two years ago was made after pressure from customers.

Designated smoking areas will now be put into over half the restaurants operated by the Liverpool-based organisation. The smoking zones will be "discreet, well ventilated, and account for a quarter of the seating area".

A spokesman said it was "a result of the competitive market place where provision of smoking facilities is common practice".

'Right to clean air'

But the news has disappointed health campaigners. The anti-smoking group ASH (Action on Smoking and Health) said the health of non-smokers was being put at risk.

It called on the company to allow any member of staff who does not want to work in the new smoking areas to be allowed to transfer to other work.

Littlewoods was also criticised by of the Liverpool-based lung cancer charity the Roy Castle Foundation, which has received funding from the store chain through its lotteries.

Professor Ray Donnelly, founder and chairman of the foundation, said: "People have the right to clean air and a smoke-free environment and we would hope that Littlewoods would reconsider their decision, particularly as it flies in the face of the national trend which is for more smoke-free zones,"

'Practical sense'

However, there was support for the reintroduction smoking areas from FOREST (Freedom Organisation for the Right to enjoy Smoking Tobacco).

Their spokesman said the Littlewoods decision was not really surprising. "Companies are recognising the pitfalls of prohibition and they are seeing it is good practical sense to reintroduce designated smoking areas.