Raid of Café Diana in Kensington uncovers 45 tubs of ‘illegal’ shisha tobacco
Dozens of tubs of suspected shisha tobacco were seized from a Princess Diana-themed cafe where she once took Princes William and Harry.
Trading standards officers found people smoking the substance in the basement area of the famous venue during a late-night raid on May 9.
The inspectors, who were working with the Metropolitan Police and Home Office, then seized around 45 unlabelled tubs from the rear of the area at Café Diana in Kensington, west London.
The seized goods are believed to contain illicit shisha tobacco, which is often counterfeit or smuggled without paying duties or taxes, according to Kensington and Chelsea Council.
The cafe in Wellington Terrace, near Kensington Palace, was a haunt of Princess Diana’s, whose visits included taking William and Harry in for a glass of orange juice in 1989.
Cllr Johnny Thalassites, lead member for environment and planning said: ‘Illicit tobacco sales not only damage consumer trust but also undercut law-abiding businesses.
‘Our officers work hard to educate businesses and ensure they comply with the law for a fair playing field.
This joint operation reflects our commitment to protect our communities and work towards becoming a safer and fairer borough.’
A full investigation and formal action will be taken by the trading standards team against the business for breaching the Health Act and tobacco-related legislation, according to the council.
Earlier this year, the team successfully prosecuted two companies in South Kensington for flouting smoking regulations and supplying shisha products without any health warnings.
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Since the cafe opened in 1989, it has been transformed into a shrine to the ‘People’s Princess’, with pictures and articles about her plastered across the walls. Staff not only met Diana but watched the princes grow up – with William making one visit with his nanny around 1990.
During a period of struggle between 1989 and 1994, the cafe even received a supportive letter from Kensington Palace.
Metro paid a visit on the 27th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death last August, to revisit some of the memories about her visits to the venue.
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