Shisha cafes
Case reference FOI2019/00249
Published 17 June 2019
Request
With this in mind we would like to ask the following questions about your local authority area, where we define a "shisha cafe" as any premise where the sale AND consumption of shisha tobacco occurs on site, and can include restaurants, clubs, lounges, cafes, and other venues. Can you please ensure these questions are answered jointly by Environmental Health and Trading Standards.
Q1. A) How many prosecutions were made for violations of the smoke-free law in 2018?
B) How many of these violations were by shisha cafes?
Q2. Can you please provide the current (2019) estimated number or range of shisha cafes known? Please reply "unknown" if this information is not held. If you have had no shisha cafes in your area in 2018, you do not need to respond to the below questions.
Q3. A) How many inspections were made to shisha cafes by Trading Standards, Environmental Health, or other officers in 2018?
Q3. B) Of these inspections, how many shisha cafes required intervention due to lack of compliance with policies (including tobacco, health and safety, and licensing laws)?
Q3. C) Of these inspections, approximately how many kilograms of illicit shisha tobacco were seized in total?
Q3. D) Of these inspections, how many led to successful prosecutions and what was the total amount ordered to pay from the shisha cafe business?
Q4. In 2018, how many reports of underage smoking were there at shisha cafes?
Q5. In 2018, how many complaints were made for noise and nuisance against shisha cafes?
Q6. Approximately how many hours were spent [per week, month, or year- as applicable] on the enforcement of shisha cafes across Trading Standards, Environmental Health, and other relevant departments in 2018? This may include visiting premises, responding to and processing noise/anti-social behaviour complaints, preparing for prosecutions or writing reports. Please provide a breakdown of the hours allocated to each activity.
Q7. How many officers were allocated to deal with the enforcement of shisha in cafes in 2018? Please provide the payband of those officers. If there is a difference between daytime and evening enforcement, please provide details.
Q8. Please can you provide copies of any checklists, inspections forms, or other tools you use in the enforcement of shisha cafes (if applicable)
Response
We have considered your request for information, please see our response:
Q1. A) How many prosecutions were made for violations of the smoke-free law in 2018? 0
- B) How many of these violations were by shisha cafes? 0
Q2. Can you please provide the current ( 2019) estimated number or range of shisha cafes known? Please reply "unknown" if this information is not held.
Unknown as there is no specific requirement to register as a shisha cafe.
If you have had no shisha cafes in your area in 2018, you do not need to respond to the below questions.
Q3. A) How many inspections were made to shisha cafes by Trading Standards, Environmental Health, or other officers in 2018?
Nil by Environmental Health at Guildford Borough Council. Surrey County Council are responsible for Trading Standards so we do not hold information relating to Trading Standards inspections.
Q3. B) Of these inspections, how many shisha cafes required intervention due to lack of compliance with policies (including tobacco, health and safety, and licensing laws)? None
Q3. C) Of these inspections, approximately how many kilograms of illicit shisha tobacco were seized in total? None
Q3. D) Of these inspections, how many led to successful prosecutions and what was the total amount ordered to pay from the shisha cafe business? None
Q4. In 2018, how many reports of underage smoking were there at shisha cafes? None
Q5. In 2018, how many complaints were made for noise and nuisance against shisha cafes? None
Q6. Approximately how many hours were spent [per week, month, or year- as applicable] on the enforcement of shisha cafes across Trading Standards, Environmental Health, and other relevant departments in 2018? This may include visiting premises, responding to and processing noise/anti-social behaviour complaints, preparing for prosecutions or writing reports. Please provide a breakdown of the hours allocated to each activity. We do not hold this information.
Q7. How many officers were allocated to deal with the enforcement of shisha in cafes in 2018? Please provide the payband of those officers. If there is a difference between daytime and evening enforcement, please provide details.
No officers were specifically allocated to deal with enforcement of shisha cafes.
Q8. Please can you provide copies of any checklists, inspections forms, or other tools you use in the enforcement of shisha cafes (if applicable)
We do not hold this information.
Documents
This is Guildford Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
You can browse our other responses or make a new FOI request.