A Southall business woman will have to payout more than £4,000 for carrying out an unauthorised acrylic nail treatment.

Vimmy Malhotra of Hounslow pleaded guilty at Acton Magistrates’ Court in September 2010.

She was convicted of carrying out an acrylic nail treatment at her beauty shop, Hi Profile, King Street, Southall, which was not authorised by her special treatment licence.

Mrs Malhotra was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £3,590 to cover the council’s costs.

An investigation by Ealing Council’s Regulatory Services team started in November 2009.

An undercover licensing officer posing as a customer was given an acrylic nail treatment, which the salon was not allowed to perform.

Councillor Ranjit Dheer, cabinet member for Safer Communities, said: "This is another brilliant result for our licensing officers who have been working hard to ensure the beauty shops in the borough are safe and legitimate."

"This is the third successful prosecution in as many months."

"Beauty salons should be somewhere you can go to be pampered, without fear of the premises operating without a licence. We will continue to clampdown on any businesses we believe are operating without the council’s permission."

Businesses have to obtain a licence from the council to provide special treatments, which include things like acrylic nail treatments, manicures and ear piercing.

The council awards licences to beauty salons that are offering treatments, by qualified professionals using safe and hygienic methods.