Nottingham restaurant with one-star hygiene rating given new licence despite concerns

The Red Sea café and restaurant, which serves Ethiopian and Arabian cuisines, is based at 19-21 Manvers Street.

Its was given a one-star rating following its most recent food hygiene inspection on June 25 by the Food Standards Agency.

Major improvement was needed in the management of food safety, and improvement was required in hygienic food handling – but cleanliness of the building was deemed generally satisfactory.

When contacted Isak Ghile, the owner, said he had “repaired everything they said we needed to do” – and added “everything is OK now”.

He further welcomed the granting of a new premises licence at a Nottingham City Council hearing on Wednesday (August 6).

Mr Ghile had asked to show films and play recorded music from 12pm until 2am, Monday to Thursday, and 12pm until 3am Friday to Sunday – with late -night refreshment from 11pm.

However following discussions with Nottinghamshire Police the hours were amended to 12pm until midnight each day of the week for each activity, with closure by 12.30am.

During the hearing the landlord of neighbouring properties, who largely supplies housing for students, raised concerns over noise, ventilation, and the blocking of a shared alleyway.

He said the application should be refused.

“We don’t believe it is reasonable to have this premises open until 2am to 3am selling alcohol or having the TV on for any purpose,” he said.

“We are happy for it to be open until 10pm operating as a restaurant or café and that is it. At 10pm you close the doors and leave, that’s it.”

But the applicant’s solicitor, John Kent, said: “Once again I have to reiterate [he] seems to have missed the point.

“The application has been amended very substantially to the hours only until midnight, with closing half an hour later. The other point that I just mentioned is that music is allowed in any event, it is not regulated until 11pm, and there is no amplified music, there is only music from television. And ostensibly the main issue is voices, maybe laughter, from his patrons when using the premises.”

Mr Kent said Mr Ghile took over in the summer of 2024, before adding there had been no official or documented complaints from residents in that time.

The landlord said he had evidence pointing to the premises operating until 5am, but Mr Kent added: “My client says there have only been one or two occasions when he’s operating perhaps as late as that, one including New Year’s Eve which is obviously understandable.”

Cllr Carole McCulloch (Lab), the chairperson, said the panel had noted the police had withdrawn its representation over prevention of crime, disorder and public nuisance concerns upon the reduction of the opening hours.

She said the licensing panel accepted the additional conditions as offered by the applicant, including the closure of the doors at 11pm, a limit of 10 persons using the alleyway with the condition the alleyway is kept clear from obstruction, and that there be no amplified music played.

The licence was granted.