Hadleigh is not only home to a Norman church, a Grade I Listed Castle and a thriving supermarket, but the arrival of the Mist Lounge, now means Hadleigh is home to a Shisha pipe smoking bar too. Furdalls Khan, 25, and Iman Ali, 26, opened the Mist Lounge in mid-November, which has led to a vast amount of negative response from locals.
The Shisha bar is positioned within a marque, located next to Hadleigh Hats, Shoes & Bags. The land on which the tent has been erected is currently being leased by the owners, and provides the opportunity for customers to bring their own food on to the premises.
Since the opening, the owners have gained a hefty amount of criticism from local businesses and residents. This has lost the business a lot of trade as Mr Ali explained. He has gone on to assure local residents “We are not selling alcohol” and “We have a strict over 18-s policy”.
With group bookings made for the Christmas period, Mr Ali explained “We have been to lots of Shisha bars across London and we wanted to make our one a really relaxed place where people can just come and chill out. He added, “Hopefully, people will see this is a positive attribute to Hadleigh.”
Having received queries made against the business, Castle Point Council have explained that their relevant departments have been informed and are aware of this use. Enquiries from their Planning Enforcement, Environmental Health and Licensing Officers are on-going and the owners are aware of the council’s investigations.
Recent Hadleigh Reviews