The council say the operator showed a ‘staggering disregard for the law’Sky Lounge restaurant in Chorlton.(Image: Manchester Evening News)

The former manager of a Chorlton restaurant has been hit with a £10,000 fine after showing a ‘blatant disregard for the law’.

Sky Lounge, a café and restaurant serving English and Turkish cuisine, first opened opposite Southern Cemetery on Barlow Moor Road in autumn 2023.

With a number of glowing reviews and a 4.6 star rating on Google, the place was operated by Salar Henareh, who stepped down this January.

But despite the positive online feedback, Manchester City Council said their officers had been investigating the restaurant ever since it opened.

A number of complaints had been made against the venue ranging from persistent noise nuisance to alcohol sold outside of the venue’s licensed hours.

“During visits carried out by the council’s Licensing and Out of Hours Team, [they] noted repeated breaches of the terms of the venue’s licence, including Henareh’s refusal to provide CCTV footage from the venue,” the council said in a press release issued today (September 19).

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“Providing this footage was a legal requirement under the terms of the venue’s licence.

“In January 2024 Manchester City Council’s Licensing Committee revoked the premises licence for Sky Lounge as a result of these investigations, a decision which was appealed by Hanareh.

“During this appeal window when the venue was allowed to continue operating, further illegal activity took place.

“Officers observed shisha being sold on the premises – a clear violation of anti-smoking laws which prohibit the smoking of shisha inside an enclosed space.

“On December 6, 2024, plainclothes officers from the council’s Licencing team entered the premises and were sold alcohol outside the venue’s licensed hours.”

The exterior of Sky Lounge in Chorlton(Image: Manchester Evening News)

As a a result of these observations, Hanareh’s original appeal was withdrawn, with the council awarded court costs of £1,531.80 following a hearing on May 15.

“On Thursday, September 18, Salar Henareh, 37, of Lentworth Drive, Walkden, was meant to attend a hearing at Manchester Magistrates’ Court after previously pleading not guilty to a string of licensing and health offences,” the press release continued.

“After failing to attend, an application was made to proceed and he was subsequently found guilty in his absence.

“Henareh was convicted in absentia of breaching 12 offences under the Licensing Act 2003, for which he was fined a total of £10,000.

“He was also fined £100 for a single breach of the Health Act 2006 relating to the smoking of shisha inside the venue.

“He was ordered to pay costs of £3,750 and to pay a victim surcharge of £2,000.”

As a result of these convictions, the council also applied for a forfeiture of the defendant’s personal alcohol licence, which means the defendant would be prohibited from being a licenced premises manager for five years. This was granted.

Councillor Lee-Ann Igbon, Executive Member for Vibrant Neighbourhoods, said: “The defendant in this case showed a staggering disregard for the law, thinking they could run their venue as they saw fit, rather than sticking to the terms of the licence which they agreed to.

“These rules are in place to keep people safe and as a council we take a very dim view when they are flouted.

“In spite of repeated warning offending continued to take place, which is why ultimately this had to be settled in court.

“I want to thank our officers for their diligent work in investigating this wrongdoing and for successfully bringing this prosecution to a successful conclusion.”