ONE of London’s best Indian takeaways have said they are facing an uncertain future due to the cost-of-living crisis.
Shah Alom Raza, who runs Safa in Walthamstow, recently saw his takeaway – which only opened in 2019 – declared the best in East London.
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Earlier this month, Safa won in the area’s category in the largest celebration of Britain’s vibrant Asian cuisine at the Asian Restaurant & Takeaway Awards (ARTA) 2022.
But despite its popularity, his renowned restaurant is now facing an uncertain future thanks to the soaring cost of living.
Brits across the country are feeling the crunch as the ongoing energy crisis has hiked energy bills to record-breaking levels.
However, the government announced they will freeze energy costs for businesses at £211 per MWh for electricity and £75 per MWh for gas.
Shah has said he has seen a drop in footfall from customers at his authentic Indian eatery over the last few months.
Having been in the restaurant industry for over 25 years, Shah admitted that he finds running a takeaway “easier” than working in his previous restaurant.
He told MyLondon: “It’s slightly easier, because you don’t have to be face-to-face, the workloads are less.
“You just make sure that you open your door on time and you answer your phone and online is running, you just provide that [food] within the time limit.”
However, despite being a multi-award winning restaurateur and takeaway boss, Shah has seen a number of issues arise.
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“Going back before Covid, we used to see customers coming every week, once a week definitely, four times a month.
“But after Covid and all that, if we’re lucky, we get to see people twice [a month].”
Shah continued: “You can understand, obviously the cost of living has gone up, where you used to buy a pint of milk for 90p now £1.90. I mean, yes, everyone’s been impacted.”
The experienced restaurant owner then spoke of how reduced supply has impacted his business.
He said: “Supply, the demand, the price is really high. This is not as usual, everyone in the High Street is quiet.
“But it’s really nice to be recognised by the people saying that you’re providing good food. We are wanting to do this by providing fresh ingredients based on what we normally use.”
It comes as a business leader warned that a price of a curry could hit £30 amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Shah confirmed he hasn’t increased his own costs yet but fears the worst thanks to rising prices.
He said: “Not at this stage, but we will.
“There has to be something because every product you buy is expensive. We don’t want to make the customer think that we will be charging them and this and that.
“People want to be there for a long time, not one or two days and close up the shop. Price has impacted everyone.”
Despite hard times, Shah was keen to thank his staff and customers in the community.
He said: “Thanks to all the team members that have been putting their time and efforts in.
“At the same time, customers, even though we’ve only been here for a short time, what they’ve given us and the feedback and the way they are putting us forward.
“I would like to thank them from the bottom of my heart and we look forward to serving the community throughout the year.”
