A shisha lounge manager has been ordered to pay almost £2,500 after his “disgraceful conduct” was deemed akin to “sticking two fingers up at the council” amid a battle for the property’s future.

Guarav Soin, of Northumberland Walk, Iver, was found to be using Soin Lounge, in Denham, as a shisha lounge when it only had permission for use as a restaurant.

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The Oxford Road property’s future now hangs in the balance after the breach of its licence and a litany of other allegations – including “sexual indecency”, “violence” “intimidation” and a violation of social distancing guidelines – was brought to a licensing sub-committee hearing earlier this month.

The site also recently lost its licence to keep and serve alcohol after a damning investigation found it had violated a series of licensing laws.

Soin pleaded guilty to three charges of failing to comply with a temporary stop notice relating to use of a restaurant as a shisha lounge while he was the manager between August 28 and September 24 this year.

Council officials said the restaurant was the cause of a huge number of noise complaints and was “significantly impacting nearby residential amenity”.

On August 28, Bucks Council issued a temporary stop notice under the Town and Country Planning Act requiring the unauthorised use to cease immediately.

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But during a visit on September 23, council officers found it was still being used as a shisha lounge.

The court handed Soin three fines totalling £1,410 and ordered him to pay a £140 victim surcharge as well as £913 towards Buckinghamshire Council's legal costs.

On convicting him, Judge DJ Dodds said: “This was disgraceful conduct, the defendant knew what was going on and was sticking two fingers up at the council.”

Buckinghamshire Council’s portfolio holder for planning and enforcement, Cllr Warren Whyte, said “This prosecution should serve as a warning to others that we take breaches of planning control very seriously and we will use the full complement of tools available to us to pursue compliance with planning regulations.

“Breaches of planning control such as this have a direct effect on our residents lives which will not be tolerated and we will not hesitate to take legal action against contraveners.

“This particular site also recently lost its licence to store and sell alcohol due to breaches of the licensing laws.

“The people running this business clearly had no respect for planning or licensing laws and now have to pay the penalty.”

Formerly the Dog and Duck pub, Maya, Turpins and Tiger Cubs, the premises eventually became the Soin Lounge in August this year.