THE owners of a former shisha cafe in Luton have been fined for contravening the smoking ban.
La Sheesh opened at the beginning of last year in the former Farley Arms pub in Windsor Street, providing an alcohol-free spot to socialise.
But when officers from Luton Borough Council visited in July last year, they found customers were being allowed to smoke inside the premises.
The health and safety and trading standards officers visited again in November with HMRC representatives and again witnessed smoking inside the premises.
To protect the public and their employees, premises must prohibit smoking in enclosed or substantially enclosed public places – only an area which is at least half open to the air is acceptable.
Amrud Gulam and Imran Khan of La Sheesh were found guilty by Luton Magistrates Court in February for failing to prevent smoking in a smoke free place and failing to display an A5 sign at the entrance of the premises.
They were each fined a total of £1,750, plus £130 costs. Neither defendant attendant entered a plea or attended court.
A council spokesman said: “The council works hard to support businesses and help the public to comply with the law by providing advice, support and information. But if businesses still continue to ignore the law, then enforcement action will follow.
Luton’s smoke free champion, Councillor Aslam Khan, said: “Smoking shisha for an hour is the equivalent of inhaling up to 200 cigarettes worth of smoke and is subject to the same smoke free legislation as cigarettes and other forms of tobacco smoking.
“The law is clear and has been in place for some years – it is against the law to smoke or to allow smoking inside public premises and expose others to the harmful effects of second hand smoke.
“If you break the law, you will find yourself in court.”
La Sheesh closed after the Council and HMRC visit in November 2011 and has since suffered a serious fire.
Officers are continuing to carry out regular visits to local shisha bars to ensure the law is being followed.
As part of the ongoing campaign to help raise awareness of the dangers of smoking shisha, the council has been placing posters and postcards in public places, and running educational sessions in schools.