Tradition vs Modernity

1st July saw the smoking ban enforced in England, last to act in the British Isles with Wales, Scotland and Ireland already adhering to the rules. No longer is anyone allowed to smoke in a public space. It's amazing actually the difference it makes. The other day Martyn made a comment that everyone at home seems to smoke. I think Durham was quite unique in the fact that I could name on one hand the number of friends I have who smoke in Durham. And maybe it is just that the crowd we know at home are those that we work with who practically all smoke, and are less than impressed at the new ban. One of the guys from work did say that he smokes a lot less now that he has to go outside for it than he used to- so maybe it is deterring people away. But the response to Martyn's comment was 'of course', Wigan's a traditional mining town and along with the stereotype of any English Northern town comes the heavy drinkers and smokers. It is true though, however much the 'class' system seems to be merging in the UK you can definitely still see the roots of the town affecting the way life is lived around here. And it got me thinking about- when was the last time Wigan actually was a mining town? When were the mills up and running and not just converted into their current day usage? How long ago was it that Wigan Pier was used for the barges to bring coal up the canal as we used to learn about in history at school? And yet although life is no longer like that the lifestyle is still there, it's hard to lose. Does that mean that the smoking is never going to be lost from a town like Wigan? We seem to be in a changing culture over the last couple of decades, increasingly aware about the environment through climate change, and global warming, and our own health such as STD/I's and the effects of drugs/alcohol/tobacco. But all this awareness- will it actually change the way in which life is lived or will the identity of a town, clung onto by locals despite not working in the town that fits that identity- continue the tradition, regardless of what the rest of the country is doing?