Upminster shopkeeper’s �3,000 fine for selling late-night kebabs

Owner ignored repeated requests to apply for licence

THE owner of an Upminster kebab shop has been fined nearly �3,000 for failing to get a licence to serve late night food despite already being fined in June.

Sahabetin Cinar, who owns S & S Charcoal Grill in Corbets Tey Road, has been ordered by Havering Magistrates Court to pay �2,918 in fines and prosecution costs for ignoring repeated requests to get a licence.

He had already been ordered to pay �2,595 in fines and prosecution costs on June 3 after Havering Council took him to the same court for committing the same offences under the Licensing Act 2003.

Despite the fine a council officer visited his takeaway on June 12, July 16 and 17 and saw Mr Cinar serve kebabs and chips between 11.30pm and 1am.

He had not made any attempt to apply for a premises licence to sell food between 11pm and 5am and there is still no licence in place.

The court heard that he had been given numerous of warnings, both written and verbal, but ignored them.

Councillor Geoff Starns, cabinet member with responsibility for licensing, said: “Takeaways can be a magnet for people in the early hours who are the worse for drink and there is the obvious potential for disorder, that is why serving hot food to people between 11pm and 5am has to be regulated. Other businesses follow the rules and pay the �190 licence fee but Mr Cinar has shown total contempt for the law and residents living in his area.”

Mr Cinar pleaded guilty to three offences of serving hot food without a licence at Havering Magistrates’ Court in Main Road, Romford, on October 14.

He was fined �2,050 and ordered to pay �868 prosecution costs.