Shisha bar in Barking forced to close for flouting coronavirus rules

The Lounge is in River Road, Barking (credit: Google Maps)

A shisha bar in Barking has been forced to temporarily close after it continuously broke the government’s coronavirus rules.

Kaafi Studio Lounge, in River Road was shut down at 7pm on Thursday, 1 October, by Barking and Dagenham Council.

The bar has been told to remain closed for two weeks unless significant improvements are made.

An initial prohibition notice was issued on Friday, 1 May this year, following numerous reports that it had been trading when it should have been closed during lockdown.

Enforcement officers then visited the premises around 3am on Saturday, 8 August, following a noise complaint, but were declined entrance to an obvious party.

Officers later witnessed about 200 people leaving the premises after the event had been closed down by the manager, Mr Yahye Ahmed.

Following this, a risk assessment was carried out on the premises.

Mr Ahmed was asked to implement a number of risk mitigating steps, including reducing the number of customers on the premises in the main room and in the outside area.

On Saturday, 26 September, enforcement officers visited the premises as part of a programme of late-night weekend visits to hospitality establishments

Officers observed the bar openly trading when it should have been closed by 10pm as required by curfew regulations.

Once again, officers were refused access to the venue but over 100 people were witnessed leaving during two visits.

Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, Councillor Margaret Mullane said: “We have made it very clear to all businesses that we will not stand for them putting our residents’ safety at risk.

“We will use all use all the powers at our disposal to deal with businesses putting profits before people and will close them down if they do not follow the rules.

“This business has continuously flouted the rules and it is only right that they have been temporarily closed down.

“To other businesses thinking of not playing ball, don’t, as the council will not hesitate to act.”

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