'Mohammed' kebab shop stripped of licence
The kebab shop at the centre of the tragic killing of foreign student Mohammed al-Majed could be closed after having its licence revoked because of late-night violence.
Owners of the Kebab Hut were this week stripped of the licence after police grew fed up of being called out to deal with fights and drunken behaviour.
Back in 2008, Qatari teenager Mohammed, pictured, died in hospital days after being attacked after leaving the fast food joint, which was then called USA Fried Chicken and Kebab.
Londoner George Austin was last year jailed over his killing after punching the 16-year-old to the floor outside the Pig in Paradise pub. However, it was at the kebab shop that the row started.
And, according to police, Mohammed's death has not been the only drunken violence linked to the Kebab Hut, which has previously been allowed to serve alcohol until 2.30am at weekends.
Hastings Borough Council's licensing committee was shown CCTV footage of various late-night brawls close to the kebab shop, which is on the corner of Claremont and White Rock.
And Chief Inspector Mark Ling of Hastings Police told the Observer his officers had decided enough was enough.
He said: "The management refused to engage with us properly in order to help reduce the high levels of crime and disorder associated with the venue.
"The owner has not acknowledged the problems his premises created for both his neighbours and my officers, who spent an unacceptable amount of time dealing with these incidents.
"Even after a notice of a review was served in December, the incidents continued.
"We do not make the decision to go to a review process lightly and will always try and work with licensees to address problems first.
"However, the serious deficiencies in the management of the premises and an unwillingness to engage with us has, in the eyes of the licensing committee, quite rightly rendered it unfit to continue trading."
The head of that committee, Cllr Richard Vallery-Peters, added: "The evidence pointed very clearly to the fact that there were very real problems with this shop that needed to be addressed.
"We saw CCTV footage showing drunken and very often violent behaviour from customers towards each other and members of staff and we heard from police that this happened on a regular basis.
"We did not see any evidence that the issues raised had been addressed by the licence holder and therefore had no choice but to revoke his licence and this was a unanimous decision."
The Kebab Hut has 21 days to lodge an appeal.
During this 21-day period and before any lodged appeal is heard by magistrates, the premises is allowed to remain open and operating as normal.
To see exclusive CCTV footage of just some of the violence in the Kebab Hut, click HERE
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Friday 10 February 2012
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