Sheffield restaurants: Venue changes name to The Sharrow as it edges closer to opening after two years

Dodona is now The Sharrow due to a trademark row, and owner Adriatik Likaj says he is working through a fifth list of requirements issued by Sheffield City Council.

If he gains final approval he will take on 15 staff and be open within two weeks, he says.

It would mark the end of a two-and-a-half year fight to open the premises, formerly Otto’s, on Sharrow Vale Road.

He said: “The council came and gave me a few more things to do. These will hopefully be the last - but I’m not going to believe it until I see it.

“I changed the name to The Sharrow because I didn’t want to argue with anyone any more, I just want to open. I’m closer than at any time in the last two-and-a-half years.”

Keep up to date on everything in Sheffield and South Yorkshire with The Star’s free newsletterdelivered straight to your inbox

Mr Likaj and business partner Rendy Contstantin took over the restaurant in 2022.

But they ran into trouble over an unauthorised £40,000 glass-walled veranda on the first floor. The council twice refused planning permission and then ordered it torn down.

Meanwhile, the Dodona name was owned by a business in Barrow-In-Furness and the boss launched legal action to protect it.

In September, Mr Likaj feared he would be left with nothing after selling land and a house in Albania to cover costs of £500,000.

At the time, Sheffield City Council said amendments had been requested which would need to be resolved before a completion certificate could be issued.

It added: “The veranda is subject to planning appeal and will have an effect on the overall fire strategy.”