Local authority leaders have called for more powers to crack down on rogue shisha bars.
The Local Government Association (LGA) has called on the Government to introduce a new licensing regime for shisha premises.
Councils should have the powers to grant or refuse licences for new shisha premises, revoke or suspend licences, and add conditions to licences to improve safety, the LGA says.
The LGA’s call follows reports of shisha bars allowing smoking indoors, flouting fire safety and selling illicit shisha.
In Leicester, trading standards teams recently found that shisha tobacco was being sold without UK duty paid in nine of 13 premises visited, equating to approximately £21,250 of duty not being paid.
Cllr Heather Kidd, chair of the LGA’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: ‘It is not right that a venue requires a licence to serve a hot drink after 11pm but not for smoking shisha.
‘Licensing shisha would also send a stronger and clearer health message around the potential dangers of shisha smoking, as there is a common misconception it is a safer alternative to smoking cigarettes.’
