A highly regarded independent Turkish restaurant in Lewisham is facing a £2.5 million fine after installing a kitchen extraction fan without permission. Meze Mangal, a favourite among New Cross and Lewisham locals, has been in operation for more than 25 years. The owners, brothers Ahmet and Sahin Gok, now face an ‘unbelievable’ confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) - a law created to target serious organised crime, typically reserved for large-scale drug dealers and money launderers.
Officials claimed that every meal cooked while the extractor fan was installed amounted to financial rewards from unlawful activity. Others have raised concerns that the underfunded local authority, which faces a £30 million budget shortfall, is leveraging planning breaches to maximise income for the borough.
While the initial figure of £2.5 million could be reduced after a further appeal, even the sale of the business would not cover the penalty. The Goks turned to GoFundMe.com, raising £15,000 in just five days to fund the costly court battle.
The GoFundMe appeal highlighted the irony of the situation: ‘Lewisham councillors, staff, and even the Mayor herself have regularly eaten, drunk, and held events at Meze Mangal. The restaurant has been a gathering place for the very same council that is now trying to destroy it.’
The dispute originated in 2014, when the brothers installed a £50,000 extraction system in response to a neighbour's complaint regarding cooking odours and grill smoke. With the property located in a conservation area, additional planning permission was required for the supporting structure at the rear of the restaurant. The owners applied retrospectively, but permission was refused and an appeal dismissed, prompting legal action in 2019. But given that the extractor system resolved local complaints, the brothers decided to leave it in place, rather ‘than to follow what felt like an unreasonable decision.’
In 2023, the brothers were given one day's notice to attend a court hearing, but failed to attend due to the medical needs of their ailing father. They were convicted in absentia, allowing the council to pursue the penalty, confiscate the brothers’ passports, and freeze the restaurant's business accounts.
'They made us into criminals, as if we’ve done something wrong,' Sahin Gok told The Londoner. 'I don’t want to stay here anymore. Mentally, I’m just finished.'
Under POCA, authorities may seek to seize profits earned during periods of non-compliance. The Goks proposed various solutions, all of which have been rejected. Lewisham Council says it is acting in accordance with POCA guidelines, insisting prosecution was a last resort after failed negotiations.
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Image Credit: The Big Retort
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