A ban on spitting in the street throughout the London Borough of Enfield came into effect this week, following more than two years of campaigning, a petition and a public consultation exercise. The by-law was approved by central government earlier this year and came into effect on Sunday. Offenders can be fined up to £500.
Until 1990 spitting in the street was an offence throughout the UK, punishable by a fine a £5 - a figure which these days appears ridiculously low, but as late as the 1960s was equivalent to a week's pay for some people. It was widely believed that spit was a factor in the spread of tuberculosis, though this theory has since been discredited.
