Inside Salisbury: Vape shop closed following seizure of illegal products
Plus a tradition from the Middle Ages celebrated
by Annette J Beveridge
A Salisbury vape shop that began trading in 2023 has received a closure notice this week.
Smoke World was raided by officers, and assisted by Wiltshire Police, on Tuesday, December 10 where more than 340 tobacco products were seized. This included illegal cigarettes, pouches and tins of hand-rolling tobacco.
On Wednesday, December 11, Smoke World was served with a closure notice under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014.
Cabinet member for the Environment, Councillor Dominic Muns, said: “This closure order follows three other orders being successfully applied by our Trading Standards team, earlier this week. We are working hard to act on our Business Plan commitment to tackle businesses that aren’t complying with the law and ensure that Wiltshire is a safe place to live.”
Reports were received earlier this year alleging that cheap cigarettes were being sold and that they were selling disposable vapes to children. Guidance was subsequently provided to the shop, however shortly after receiving this, an officer purchased a pack of illicit cigarettes.
Councillor Muns said: “Unfortunately, businesses are sometimes tempted to sell non-compliant vapes and illegal tobacco products with little regard for the impact on their customers’ health. Illegal tobacco is not regulated or manufactured to the same standards as normal tobacco and is often found to contain higher levels of harmful substances, as well as chemicals which are not normally permitted. We hope our actions this week serve to deter other businesses from taking part in similar activities.”
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A court hearing was held at Salisbury Magistrates Court today on Friday, December 13, where a three-month closure order was granted for the premises. Only those who are named habitual residents and authorised persons are now permitted to enter the addresses. Anyone else entering the premises is committing a criminal offence and on conviction may be sentenced to 51 weeks imprisonment and/or a fine.
He added: “I’d like to thank Wiltshire Police for their collaboration this week in getting these positive results, we will continue to work with our partners to keep the public safe. Also thanks to our colleagues in the Public Health team who helped with the funding for the tobacco detection dogs that we use in the raids”
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Director of Public Health, Kate Blackburn, said, “There is no safe level of smoking, and the availability of cheap illegal tobacco keeps people trapped in a lethal addiction and we’re pleased to support our Trading Standards colleagues in their efforts to reduce this.
“Stopping smoking is the best thing an individual can do to improve their physical and mental health – as well as save money. Quitting is easier with the right support and there are so many options and combinations of tools for stopping smoking.
“To find out how to access free support, contact friendly Health Coaches on 0300 003 4566, email: health.coaches@wiltshire.gov.uk or ask at your GP surgery.”
Tradition from the Middle Ages Celebrated
SALISBURY Cathedral celebrated a long-standing tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, where one chorister was chosen to be 'Chorister Bishop'.
Senior Chorister Emmie delivered a sermon during Sunday's Evensong service, wearing replica robes and borrowing the Right Revd Stephen Lake, Bishop of Salisbury's staff and mitre for the ceremony.
The tradition behind the ceremony is based on raising the lowest in society to the highest, in order to practice humility and Jesus' gospel.
The ceremony ceased after the Reformation during the reign of Henry VIII, but the practice was revived in its present form in the 1980s.
