A SHISHA bar owner will have to pay a further £600 in legal costs after a failed appeal against his sentence for flouting smoking laws.

Imran Saleem, owner of Arabian Lounge in Derby Street, Daubhill, was fined £1,300 and ordered to pay more than £1,300 costs to Bolton Council for allowing people to smoke shisha on two separate occasions in September and October last year.

The business was caught during a sting by environmental health officers, who found management were allowing illegal smoking.

The business was also fined and ordered the pay the same amounts, while the people caught smoking were given £50 fines.

Saleem, aged 33, of Springbank Lane, Rochdale, was due before Bolton Crown Court to launch an appeal against the sentence he received in May, but he failed to attend.

Michelle Brown, prosecuting on behalf of Bolton Council, said: “Both him and the company were prosecuted.

“Arabian Lounge Ltd, the company, has now been dissolved as of September 18.”

She said a notice of the appeal was sent to Saleem on September 28.

Judge Charles Bloom dismissed the appeal and ordered Saleem to pay £600 court costs.

Any place of work or public building which is enclosed, including shisha cafes, is required to be smoke-free.

For a business to comply with the Health Act 2006, it must be more than 50 per cent open to allow for ventilation of smoke — or customers must smoke outside.

Arabian Lounge opened in June last year with the main activity being smoking shisha on the premises.

Bolton Council wrote to the company several times informing them smoking was prohibited within the premises before taking action.

Despite the court hearing the company had dissolved, it was revealed on Twitter that an Arabian Lounge branch will be opening in Huddersfield this week.

Saleem was unavailable for comment.