A worker who swore at council staff and followed them to their car after being fined for a Covid breach has seen his boss lose a bid for an alcohol licence.
Delicious Café in Newham’s Barking Road had applied for a licence to sell alcohol and open later.
Owner Ali Delidogan said that the new licence was part of the plans to freshen up the business and that it would deliver a good service to the surrounding community.
But council licensing bosses raised concerns about past behaviour from another of his businesses.
Licensing officer John Chislett told a meeting about the incident when officers visited another businesses owned by Mr Delidogan on Barking Road.
He said: “On the April 16 this year I met with Mr Delidogan at 566 Barking Road in relation to another premises which he owns located at Barking Road.
“Mr Delidogan’s employee was confrontational and aggressive with officers, with an employee following officers back to their vehicles and using inappropriate language following the service of a fixed penalty notice for breaches of Covid regulations.
“Mr Delidogan was not aware that the incident had taken place, nor was he aware of breaches of licensing conditions.
“When officers asked Mr Ali Delidogan to come to 574 Barking Road to go through the licensing conditions he refused and stated that he didn’t want to enter the business which was being run and managed by [someone else].”
Mr Chislett added that he was concerned that such an incident could happen again if Delicious Café was granted a license.
He said: “If Mr Ali Delidogan is granted a license at this premises at 566 Barking Road, our officers are likely to face similar confrontations at that premises.”
Mr Delidogan responded and said: “As soon as [a council officer] contacted me, I did drive there and I met him outside the premises and discussed the issue.
“Obviously the problem has been proved and it’s not going to happen again.
“Obviously it wasn’t acceptable the way the staff member talked to him.
“I’ve been serving in the food business since I was 20 years old and I’ve been running the café since 2003. [I’m] well known in the area, never had an issue, any problems.
“Lately the business was really quiet, due to Covid as well, didn’t help so I decided just to freshen up the business.
“You can have nice coffee or you can have a glass of wine next to your meal, or maybe beer to sit down, not like a pub or a bar.
“The area needed a freshen up, the area needed something different, the area needed a new business model so new people can come to the area to have food with a glass of wine.
“It would be great to have my license just to carry out my business plan to bring something better to the area – to bring the area better money, better restaurant, better quality food, quality café environment.”
Mr Delidogan has the right to appeal the council’s decision 21 after receiving notice of the refusal.
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