Village Hall

"Dispense" is the opposite of "dispose of" or "dispense with".
You don't need a machine for that, whats wrong with the bin?
In addition, smoking in the village hall is never going to be permitted.
Somebody has got their wires (very) crossed!

Ah - maybe a bin to dispense with cigarettes ... that would make more sense!

Oh the ambiguity of language!

I think Wenmore is likely to be correct, nobody would ask for a vending machine. I would go for a cigarette bin, there are often cigarette ends outside of village halls.

As Marydoll says, it is now illegal to sell cigarettes from a vending machine.
So that’ll be a No then.

I wondered if that was what was meant too Wenmore.

Maybe they mean a cigarette bin (to 'dispense' with the dog ends)

Someone has lost the plot!

Anyway, I think it is illegal to sell cigarettes from a vending machine.