An unauthorised shisha bar and cafe has once again found itself in trouble with the authorities.
The Al Qaza bar, in Mortimer Street, Girlington, was fined £1,000 last year for allowing smoking at its premises.
Now it is in trouble again – because it doesn’t have planning permission.
When Bradford Council was first alerted to the Al Qaza lounge, planners told the owners that they didn’t have permission to use the site as a cafe or shisha lounge.
The firm then applied for retrospective planning consent for their marquee structure within a larger warehouse yard, but this was refused in March last year.
In October, businessman Ajaz Ali was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,246 in costs for four offences of failing to prevent smoking at the premises.
It was thought that since then the Al Qaza had closed down, but officers recently visited the site and found it had only been temporary closed for refurbishment.
A report to Bradford Area Planning Panel said: “The local planning authority received information which suggested the premises had closed and the use ceased.
“However following a site visit it was revealed that the property had been closed for a temporary period to allow for refurbishment works.”
Now the Council has been authorised to take enforcement action.
When the Telegraph & Argus visited the site to get a comment from the owner, the whole complex was under refurbishment. Access to the yard was blocked, and there were no signs advertising a cafe or shisha lounge. Workmen said the shisha bar was no longer there.