Owner ‘hurting’ as curry house is put up for sale
HE QUITS AFTER 40 YEARS, BLAMING COVID AND COST CRISIS
THE owner of a curry house in Uttoxeter said he is “saddened” after announcing he is selling up after 40 years in business.
Dudu Miah, owner of Kohi Noor, has blamed lockdown and the costof-living crisis, saying he has been given “no choice” but to sell the business.
The curry house in Queen Street has been there for 40 years, and Mr Miah thanked people he has served down the years.
Mr Miah, who was born in Bangladesh and moved to England when he was seven, started the restaurant in 1982. He said: “I’ve seen the town change so much in that time, but business died down over lockdown.
“It was about a month or two ago that I took the quick decision that there was nothing that I could do to turn it around.
“Everything was going up – bills, food prices, energy. I just made the decision that now was the time to sell. I was born in Bangladesh but moved to the West Midlands when I was seven. I still go back occasionally. There’s still some of my mum’s family out there.
“I’ve been commuting from Walsall for the last 40 years. I took it on as it had been a curry house beforehand. I think it was called Indus or something along those lines back then. Kohi Noor means ‘diamond’ in Bengal.
“I’ve been in the restaurant trade since I was in school and was working over in Lichfield at the time.
If you can’t afford to run the place, there’s not much you can do really.
“Someone told me this place was up for rent. I came and had a look round and started from there really.” The 56-year-old says since lockdown there have been no major improvements in footfall. He said: “We have been managing all these years, but it’s probably time to go. If you can’t afford to run the place, there’s not much you can do really. “Since lockdown, there has been no real improvements in the business and I just think it is time now. We have four on the team now full time; there used to be around six. “In our time we’ve changed the layout of the restaurant around. It’s hurting as I am feeling we haven’t done anything wrong.”
Mr Miah has reflected on his time at the restaurant. He said: “I think the two favourite dishes we ever made were the masala and the massoman. The masala was the classic dish done right and the massoman was a fusion thing, which was basically two curries in one. People really liked the combination of flavours that they had.
“We’ve served many local dignitaries over the years, including Kate Griffiths (MP for Burton) and Sir William Cash (MP for Stone). They were lovely. It’s sad to be going – I didn’t really want to finish on a sad note after 40 years. But I’m proud of what I’ve done. We’re known around town and people have told me in the street how sad they are I’m going.”
As for the future of the restaurant, Mr Miah said it was too early to say what was going to happen.
He also said he wants to travel. He said: “I’m not ready to say what happens to the restaurant. It may close, it may not.
“The feelings are really sad to be going but I have done myself proud. I’ll miss it. I want to go and see the parts of the world I have never seen before.”
The restaurant is open to offers over £500,000 through Abode Sales and Lettings.
Dudu Miah