We're facing ruin if shisha 'tradition' is banned

nlnews@archant.co.uk
23 May 2007

HUSSEIN RIZK fears his restaurant and shop businesses could become victims of the smoking ban when it comes into effect on July 1

HARINGEY'S Lebanese restaurant owners are bracing themselves for a financial hit when the smoking ban begins to be enforced from July 1.

The ban will include the popular hookah pipes which people use to smoke shisha tobacco in Lebanese restaurants. They are a focal point of the community.

Hussein Rizk, who runs La Fontaine restaurant in Turnpike Lane and the neighbouring shop which sells hookah pipes and tobacco, fears the ban could put him out of business.

He has even moved his restaurant to a new site which has a conservatory, which he hopes will count as an outside area so his customers can continue to smoke shisha there.

A purpose built room at the rear of the restaurant will become defunct.

He said: "About 60 or 70 per cent of the income is from shisha. If they ban it we will lose the income. We are going to see the council next week to see if it's legal or not. Most people come to have a sandwich and after they like to have a shisha.

"They come for the shisha. If you stop the shisha we lose 50 per cent of our customers."

"It's very old this custom. It's become very, very popular. At least once a day or twice we smoke a shisha. Mostly people don't like to have it at home." Mr Rizk hopes Haringey Council will make allowances for his conservatory area.

He added: "We have nine months of winter here. If they ask me to remove the glass and the roof what am I going to do in the winter?"

He puts his restaurants chances of survival at about 50/50 if shisha is banned.