The Scottish Licensed Trade Association has said that it will take the Scottish Executive to court to recoup lost earnings if a smoking ban is implemented.
Paul Waterson, chief executive of the SLTA, said: "We want legislation that will restrict smoking, including a total ban on smoking at the bar and a move towards 50% of the total floor area being non-smoking.
"But a total ban will mean that pubs will lose a huge amount of regular trade and that will cost jobs."
The SLTA believes that a ban would cost around £300m a year in lost business.
