Wolverhampton Shisha bar licence bid postponed for site visit after location disagreement

Shisha Point, listed as being in Sunbeam Street, Blakenhall, had previously applied to the city council for permission to trade.

However Wolverhampton Council bosses are now set to visit the premises to iron out a number of discrepancies that were raised at a hearing this week.

The premises, where patrons can smoke shisha (flavoured/fruit tobacco made from molasses) from a hookah or waterpipe, is part of Yadia Nights – a first floor restaurant and bar with the smoking area located on an outside balcony.

At a meeting of the council’s statutory licensing sub-committee on Thursday, members heard from local resident Gary Wood, who claimed the venue was not in Sunbeam Street and was actually located in a nearby access road.

"The application for the licence says the Shisha bar is on Sunbeam Street – it is on the access road to Blakenhall and the building is registered to Marston Road,” he said.

“It is not registered to Sunbeam Street, the road outside is the access road to Blakenhall industrial estate and their address is Marston Road.”

However, bar owner and applicant Mohammed Ali responded: “The premises is in Sunbeam Street. I don’t have access to Marston Road, so I have to come in through Sunbeam Street to access my building.”

Council solicitor David Abel told the committee that searches undertaken prior to the hearing confirmed that the bar was in Sunbeam Street, but that the only way to be absolutely certain was to get a Land Registry search.

Mr Wood also raised concerns over how much of the balcony area qualified as being in the open air and whether it complied with smoking regulations.

Responding to the question, Mr Ali said: “The balcony is more than 50 per cent open, which I’m told meets the requirements. The council has visited and they agreed to this.”

Mr Wood said he disagreed with Mr Ali’s claim that the balcony area was more than 50 per cent open.

“It has pretty much got shutters that come down and the sides are covered as well. From what I have seen I would say it was more 70 per cent covered and 30 per cent open,” he told the committee.

Mr Ali denied that the balcony had any shutters, and said that he was happy for members to visit the premises.

Mr Abel said: “I would ask the committee if they would consider a site visit. It may be appropriate in this case to check these issues.”

His suggestion was moved by Councillor Keith Inston and seconded by Councillor Anwen Muston.

Chairman Councillor Phil Page adjourned the meeting in order for a site visit date to be arranged.