Shisha. One to watch

I'd prefer a good cigar but some like Hookahs.

Here is a story that I will be watching. Shabbir Mer Ali, a restaurant owner has appeared in court after being accused of ignoring the smoking ban by serving his customers shisha pipes.

Now my position on this is clear, I have seen the damage the No Smoking ban has done to the small pubs, clubs and bingo halls in the valleys and it has not been fun.

Empty rooms whilst people huddle together against the rain on the main road. Most valley pubs are on the streets and do not have beer gardens that can be covered over. Those that do have super heaters blasting away day and night whilst the function rooms remain empty and street pubs are starting to put up the shutters.

All pub customers agree, the choice should be the pub or clubs and they should return to the days of the "Smoking Room". A reasonable compromise but not for the, in your face, do as we say crowd who have never been in a valley pub in their life. They value their skins too much to face the wrath of the people.

So I have a degree of sympathy (damn my liberal ways) for Mr Mer Ali, who said;

We allow smoking in the reasonable belief that the Government will either give shisha establishments an exemption, a concession or at the very least financial compensation for the loss of our livelihood. If we stopped allowing shisha it would be economic suicide for us."

So now I look forward to March 7, the date the trial has been adjourned to and the subsequent outcome. What will the Government do? Cave in to the enrichers or enforce the law. A British Pub Landlord was recently fined £10,000 for the same offence and I would expect the same treatment for everyone, no matter how wrong that law is.

Tags: No smoking, Shisha