What would you do?

roundthebend

The reason they have reverted to their original smoking/chatting zone is because it is more convenient or preferable for them.

What you need to do is find a way to make the other place more preferable - probably by making their current choice less preferable.

I can't think of how to do that without also ruining it for yourself. Perhaps you could just have some fun with this - try different things to see what impact each one has. Kind of like what Dave Gorman does on his show.

e.g. try classical music played in their direction....how many people decide to smoke elsewhere?
then try wafting a pungent aroma (chip fat maybe) and see how many people decide to smoke elsewhere?

Handsome_Chris

How about playing guitar loudly and badly? In their direction.  

May I back that suggestion up with how about Gasfests around yours?

HTH

slacker

Park your car blocking the office drive until they stop.

Buy one of those portable air horns

Keep bees in your garden

Put a flammable liquid sign where they smoke.

gubble

Go online, get the names and adress' of the company directors and go take someone who smokes to have a fag outside their house !

octatonic

Cannibal Corpse playing loud through outdoor speakers aimed at the office.

Winny_Pooh

Definitely Nickleback on outdoor speakers connected to a motion sensor

MatthewShreddery

Quality! Keep them coming

scrumhalf

Don't expect your local authority to help, when they say "there's nothing we can do" they miss off the "unless you give us a lot of money" bit.

Do not do any of the urban avenger things mentioned above until you have exhausted the legal processes, you can be sure that these will be used against you.

You have a noise nuisance and a health nuisance.

viz

Don't get into any official dispute if you can avoid it - you'll be obliged to declare it if/when you sell the house. 

TheBigDipper

viz said:

Don't get into any official dispute if you can avoid it - you'll be obliged to declare it if/when you sell the house. 

This. Unless you're renting, of course, in which case it doesn't matter. If/when you sell, and if the same company is there, having a dispute on an official record means you won't be able to hide it and some buyers won't proceed once they find out.

I like the idea of you being persistent yet polite in appealing to their better nature. If they can't respect that and you do end up going to court, it will stand you in good stead that you didn't abuse them or play pranks. 

Also, didn't someone tell you that they employ people not permitted to work in the UK? And people who are claiming dole? And don't some of those cigarettes smell rather sweet and heavy? 

Good luck.

merlin

Ask the smokers politely and with general respect to not smoke in front of your door. Do it repeatedly, over and over again if they keep smoking there. Explain that you don't want your house smelling of their smoke, repeatedly. If they still do it, escalate your insistence. Don't go above their heads to the boss, direct eye contact is much more effective. 

JayGee

CCTV Camera, and regular posts to youtube/Facebook of the most embarrassing and/or unflattering footage. Possibly a live feed too...

JayGee

...oh, and don't forget to make sure that the company name/logo/whatever is clearly visible.

Deadman

How about putting a sign/signs up on a simple wooden post in your garden, close to the spot so it's visible to all the tabbers. It needs to make them feel awkward to smoke there. I saw one once that said "Young lungs at play" or words to that effect with a big no smoking sign on it in a park play area. They don't need to know you have kids or not.

I could make you a professional quality one if you like. No charge. 
The offer's always there if you want it.

octatonic

Deadman said:

How about putting a sign/signs up on a simple wooden post in your garden, close to the spot so it's visible to all the tabbers. It needs to make them feel awkward to smoke there. I saw one once that said "Young lungs at play" or words to that effect with a big no smoking sign on it in a park play area. They don't need to know you have kids or not.

I could make you a professional quality one if you like. No charge. 
The offer's always there if you want it.

That is quite excellent.

EricTheWeary

Whenever I've gone to the local hospital (fairly frequently) there's usually people smoking by the Do Not Smoke here signs. God knows what it takes.

axisus

Our work erected a small thing known as the 'bus stop' around the back. Basically a simple metal frame with a roof. All the smokers are happy to use it as it cuts the wind and rain out. You could ask the business if they would consider putting one up in the more desired area. Some are more expensive but this one is £332.

Myranda

Have you considered buckets of hydroflouric acid? Hammers?

Budgie

Buy a Stihl saw and take a sudden interest in cutting old paving slabs into 1" cubes. 110 decibels of 'f**k you'. And the dust, oh! the dust.... instant crowd dispersal.

ToneControl

for ultimate irony, buy a £15 incinerator bin, and burn leaves constantly