Restaurant forced to close after 25 years because it 'smells of curry'
Restaurant forced to close after 25 years because it 'smells of curry'
A much-loved eatery is shutting its doors for good after being taken to court over the strong smell of food wafting from its premises
One restaurant in England received complaints about the strong smell of its food
(Image: Getty Images )
A beloved curry house has been forced to shut its doors after 25 years due to complaints about the smell of curry. Cinnamons Restaurant in Wheatley, Oxfordshire, received a complaint in 2021 about the "curry odours" coming from the premises, which was upheld by environmental health officers.
The restaurant spent £35,000 on a new extractor fan, but after another complaint, they were served an abatement notice, deeming the new ventilation system defective. It was unable to afford the estimated £50,000 for a new system and was taken to court, pleading guilty and paying a £25,000 fine in October 2024.
Despite the expenditure, South Oxfordshire District Council issued another abatement notice and last month Cinnamons announced it could no longer afford the demands and would close in mid-June, resulting in 10 job losses.
The council stated that prosecution was necessary "if measures are not introduced to solve the issue and abatement notices are breached".
Shirazul Hoque, who runs Cinnamons, told PA Real Life: "The village wants the restaurant to stay, otherwise we would have closed before paying the £25,000 fine. It's really hard for us and feels absolutely wrong as we love our village...
"It is hurtful to have our cuisine, which is loved, described as producing obnoxious odours that stink." All our employees have families and the chefs who live above the restaurant will be made homeless – it's a big punch in the gut."
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Shirazul Hoque, right, and his uncle had fought a lengthy court battle over the smell complaint
(Image: Collect/PA Real Life )
Cinnamons has been a staple in Wheatley since 2000. The business was taken over by Shirazul's uncles in 2012, and they've been serving up Bangladeshi and Indian food ever since, reports the Mirror.
Numerous TripAdvisor reviews highlight the restaurant as a vital part of the community. One happy punter commented on the site: "We are so lucky to have this restaurant in our village." In 2021, the restaurant was honoured with the TripAdvisor Travellers' Choice award, a recognition given to businesses that consistently receive high reviews from travellers and rank within the top 10% in their field on the site.
However, in the same year, an odour complaint was lodged against the restaurant with South Oxfordshire District Council. An officer from the Environmental Health Agency validated the complaint.
After more than two decades of service, Shirazul stated that Cinnamons had never faced such a complaint before but complied by installing a £35,000 ventilation system as required. He said: "We wanted to resolve it because we've been here for 20 years, we love our village and we wanted to do something about it."
A higher specification ventilation model was suggested by a consultant, but the restaurant felt they could neither afford the installation cost – estimated to be roughly £50,000 – nor the maintenance cost.
Despite substantial work being carried out by a reputable firm with over 30 years of experience, another complaint was made to the council, according to Shirazul. The Environmental Protection Team found the odour unacceptable, and the ventilator defective upon investigating the restaurant. Cinnamons was then instructed to fix their ventilation system.
"We weren't able to afford it," Shirazul explained. "To be honest, business had not rebounded post-Covid. We'd not been making any profit so we didn't have the money for this."
The restaurant's new £35,000 ventilation system was not enough to satisfy council officials
(Image: Collect/PA Real Life )
As no solution was forthcoming, the establishment found itself on the wrong side of an abatement notice, leading to court action. In October 2024, Cinnamons entered a guilty plea and was handed a £25,000 fine.
Despite this, the problems with ventilation persisted, presenting an additional financial hurdle that Shirazul estimated could cost around £50,000. Then on May 19, came the heartbreaking decision at Cinnamons – the struggle was too much to bear, resulting in ten employees being informed they no longer had their roles.
"It's very hard to share this story because I've spent a lot of my time in the business," Shirazul admitted.
The restaurateur imparted some wisdom to fellow business owners: "Do due diligence in seeing how the council environmental health officers operate and learn the appeal process."
Shirazul shared that on their final day of business, June 15, the restaurant will provide complimentary meals to visitors as a token of appreciation. He said: "It's a gesture of thanks for all the support we've received through the difficulties of the last few year. It's a way of saying thank you for standing by us."
South Oxfordshire District Council explained its position with the statement: "The council has a legal duty to investigate nuisance complaints about smells from industrial, trade and business premises that could be a statutory nuisance. We always aim to advise and support businesses on how they can resolve issues. However, if measures are not introduced to solve the issue and abatement notices are breached, we have no option but to prosecute.
The restaurant has received plenty of praise since it opened in 2000
(Image: Collect/PA Real Life )
"In the case of Cinnamons Restaurant in Wheatley, the Council's Environmental Protection Team has assessed the odour complaint following our procedures and legislation. An extensive investigation at this site determined a statutory nuisance existed in relation to the kitchen's ventilation systems."
It added? "Cinnamons Cuisine Limited, who run the restaurant, has since failed to follow our recommendations and has breached an environmental abatement notice on several occasions between October 2023 and April 2024. Cinnamons pleaded guilty to four charges ahead of a scheduled three-day court appearance on Wednesday 2 October 2024.
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"The District Judge at Oxford Magistrates' Court reviewed the evidence and statements provided by council officers and the company, and taking into consideration the revised guilty plea, the judge ordered that the company pay a total of £25,000 – this includes an £11,000 fine, an award of full costs of £12,000 to South Oxfordshire District Council, alongside a victim surcharge of £2,000.
"As well as pleading guilty to the charges of statutory nuisance laid against them, Cinnamons admitted that they could have done more to mitigate the odour. The council can advise and assist where we can, but ultimately responsibility for fixing the problem sits with the business.
"The business has been provided advice and guidance on steps they can take but to date have failed to follow our recommendations. Cinnamons is still the subject of an ongoing legal case, and we will therefore not be in a position to comment any further on this case other than the information provided in the statement above."
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