A RESTAURATEUR says he is determined to turn around a troubled eatery.
Hashim Natur, 59, has taken over Il Gatto Nero at Kirkgate in Huddersfield town centre and was yesterday granted a licence to run it.
Under previous owners, the restaurant got into trouble in December after police discovered hundreds of bottles of allegedly counterfeit alcohol.
Four men were subsequently arrested on suspicion of tax avoidance and selling smuggled goods. The designated supervisor of the premises resigned.
The arrested men are still on bail.
The restaurant was banned from selling alcohol and having alcohol on display for sale.
Police called for its licence to be reviewed.
There was further trouble when undercover police were sold booze in January.
But Mr Natur, who has run takeaway Milnsbridge Pizzeria at Market Street in Milnsbridge for 15 years, insisted things would change under his ownership.
He said: “I’m over the moon to have been given the licence.
“Il Gatto Nero had a lot of publicity for all the wrong reasons.
“I’m trying to put things right.
“We have changed the staff, got a new chef and manager. I believe it’s a good venture for me.”
Mr Natur, who took over about a month ago, said he had been operating the restaurant using temporary event licences at weekends, which allowed him to serve alcohol.
The permanent licence he had applied for was facing objections from a neighbouring business.
But Mr Natur said the objections had been dealt with.
He added: “Customers should come and try for themselves. Everything has changed.
“We have instructed the staff to observe all the regulations.
“They are under strict orders that every transaction with suppliers should be legitimate.
“We will have no problem from now on.”
