Last orders at the Shisha Cafe (From Asian Image)

Last orders at the Shisha Cafe

10:44am Sunday 15th July 2007 in News features By Asian Image reporter

Asian Image spent the final few nights before the smoking ban visiting Shisha Cafes across the region to find locals making the most of it. By Masood Ehsan.

The cafes were full of young and old taking a last gasp of smoking freedom.

Despite campaigns to keep Shisha bars open the law, as they say, is the law. My two nights were spent wandering the streets of the North West taking a final visit to some of the region's Shisha Cafes.

And I must say it was a very sombre and enlightening two nights.

The Shisha cafes of late have become popular places to meet and make new friends. Some visit on their own and others in groups but for many people who don't drink alcohol, they were the perfect foil.

A TV, some couches and the odd cup of cafffiene - what else does one need?

As the nights wore on I saw groups of women, couples, men dressed in Shalwar Kameeze's and people from different backgrounds. It seemed the Shisha cafe had the ability to attract all sorts of people.

Maybe that was their secret?

Many Shisha owners had argued that the cafes had a culture of their own so should be exempt from the ban. I could see why this might be true.

What was more evident as my second evening wore on was that customers had an affinity with the owners. Much like landlords at pubs do with their regulars.

Speaking to some Shisha customers there was a real sense that they had lost a common place to meet and talk to people.

"What will you do now?' I asked.

"We honestly do not know. The weekends are never going to be the same again" said 21- year-old Shabnam. "I come here with my friends once a week. It is safe and we never get bothered by anyone."

Younis a 29 year-old from Preston told me, "I can see why they would ban smoking where there are non-smokers. But here?

"A lot of people are going to have to find alternative venues."

One owner said, "It is a sad end for us. We'd like to stay open but we will probably have to diversify to do so."

There had been talk on the grapevine that a Shisha Cafe would be renovating soon and be based on the open-air balcony area. That way it would get round the ban.

Like with all things thatdevelop a common bond there is always the hope that somehow things will change. That somehow that memory of a conversation and night out may well repeat itself one day.

That we will again be able spend countless hours sat around with some friends with Shisha pipe in hand.

But, alas it is not to be. It was indeed last orders at the Shisha cafe.