Cattery owner and chicken shop fined in Barnet licensing enforcement action

A cattery owner and a chicken shop operator have been fined following separate prosecutions by Barnet Council for operating without the required licences, highlighting the authority’s ongoing efforts to enforce licensing regulations across the borough.

At Willesden Magistrates’ Court on 17 September, Linda Finch-Mason of Muswell Hill pleaded guilty to running a cat boarding business without the necessary licence. She was fined £120, ordered to pay a £48 victim surcharge and £1,200 in prosecution costs, bringing the total penalty to £1,368. The court also disqualified her from dealing with animals for three years.

In a separate case, Finchley Chicken Hub Ltd, trading as Chicken Hub, and its director Toryalai Jabarkhel were prosecuted for displaying an unlicensed advertising board. Mr Jabarkhel was ordered to pay £1,056, while the company was fined a total of £2,375. Both defendants pleaded guilty.

Commenting on the cases, Councillor Barry Rawlings, Leader of Barnet Council, said that while most businesses in the borough comply with licensing requirements, the authority would take action where operators repeatedly ignore advice and continue to operate without the necessary permissions.

The prosecutions form part of the council’s wider programme of licensing enforcement, aimed at ensuring businesses comply with regulations designed to protect residents, consumers and animal welfare standards.