City Council vs. Shisha Cafes. Is it all about the
money?
The obstacles Shisha bars in Preston have to face are more about
the financial loss the city might have to deal with instead of, what was
previously thought, respecting the smoking ban in closed areas, according to
the British Heart Foundation representative.
The organisation states that the City Council must be resentful
to the Shisha cafes because of the Duty of Health which promotion is extremely
pricy and also essential in every community.
The real reason for not wanting to promote such places is
because “promotion of health is just way too expensive” says Caroline Holton
from the Cardiac and Stroke Network, who also works for the BHF.
“It’s easier and cheaper to ban such places from opening
instead of having to promote the health issues tangential to smoking water
pipes”, adds Caroline.
The authorities know how low the public´s awareness of
Shisha’s effects on health is, especially among younger people who repetitively
say it does no harm.
This means more money would have to be spent on advertising
side effects of smoking water pipes.
“The problem is that those places are made to look like
restaurants; nice and cosy. And that sends out a wrong message”, again worries Mrs.
Holton.
Popular opinion is that the water used to smoke the pipe
absorbs all the chemicals but the truth is that it only absorbs a little,
according to the NHS Foundation Trust.
What is more, the Lancashire Evening Post
warns that one Shisha session equals up to 200 cigarettes but many people think
it is actually healthy to smoke water pipe because of its fruity taste.
“I work with young people especially within the Asian
community and it scares me that those young boys find smoking fashionable and
perfectly healthy”, admits Caroline.
But every story has another side. Preston Shisha Bars hit
back arguing about the freedom of choice and the legality of Shisha places.
Some of them go an extra mile to satisfy the Council but nothing seems to be
good enough.
“We are really trying to work with the authorities but they
are pushing it too hard”, complains Targk Salgm, the manager of Shesha Garden,
off Church Street.
He also claims that his place is for all those people who
don not want to go clubbing and abuse alcohol.
“The council does so little against binge drinking and it is
a lot more harmful than smoking and can also cost a life” Mr. Salgm points out.
At the same time, there have been concerns about the safety
around Shisha Bars in Preston which are mostly popular within the Asian community,
especially the youngsters.
“I have nothing against smoking but those new places concern
me as I live just next to one of them and it makes me feel a little anxious
especially since when I have been
whistled and shouted at twice while passing by”, says Nicola, 23, a student from
Lancaster University who lives in Preston city centre.
This outlines and juxtaposes Mr. Salgm's words as he says he
only allows people in who respect each other and who show they can behave
appropriately.
He also refers his Shesha Garden to “family business”
which raises Mrs. Caroline Holton’s eyebrows as she disagrees that any family
should smoke tobacco together.
Here, you can find all the Shisha Bars which already exist or are soon to open in Preston
View Shisha Cafes in Preston, Central Lancashire in a larger map
