'Too trusting' shisha bar boss rapped over smoking

GETS LICENCE BUT WARNED TO FOLLOW LAW

- By HANNAH RICHARDSON

A RESTAURANT owner has blamed repeated legal breaches at his restaurant on his 'too trusting' nature.

When officers from Trafford council visited Basrah Lounge in January 2025, they found the venue did not have a licence and customers were smoking shisha in an area deemed to be more than 50 per cent enclosed, in direct contravention to smoking regulations.

Further visits, in March and October, revealed ongoing breaches of the Health Act when it came to shisha use and also raised concerns over potential noncompliance with UK employment laws, a licensing meeting was told.