A cafe owner was fined £1120 last week when her business became the first in Hackney to be successfully prosecuted for failing to prevent smoking.

Eren Hussein, who runs Havana's Caffe, on Lower Clapton Rd, was prosecuted by Hackney Council after environmental health officers discovered two members of the public smoking cigarettes at the cafe on the 25th February 2013.

Members of the environmental health team had been trying to work with the business for more than 12 months prior to the incident to provide a legal structure in which to allow shisha smoking. Smoking had been been witnessed inside the building before and the proprietors warned in writing.

Magistrates at Thames Magistrates’ Court handed down a fine of £500 for the offence with full costs of £570 and a Victim Surcharge of £50 making a total of £1120 following the conviction under Section 8 of The Health Act 2006.