Destitute former Sheffield Balti King legend facing homelessness is billed £322 for serving wrong curry

Hanif ‘Tony’ Hussain, aged 57, who ran the famous Balti King restaurant, on Fulwood Road, Broomhill, for 33 years before it recently closed due to financial problems, has told how he ‘accidentally’ served a beef bhuna to two undercover trading standards officers who had asked for a lamb bhuna back in December, 2021.

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard, on Wednesday, March 1, how Mr Hussain, who is due to be evicted from his home by March 10 after re-mortgaging to try to save his business, admitted mistakenly serving beef bhuna instead of the lamb requested by the customer and the case was pursued by Sheffield City Council despite the restaurant’s closure on February 2.

Paul Barber, prosecuting on behalf of the council, said: “From speaking with Mr Hussain in the interim his business has fallen on particularly hard times and I believe it’s now closed and there is an article in The Star recently suggesting it is closed.

“In December, 2021, officers from trading standards visited the Balti King restaurant on Fulwood Road, Sheffield, as part of routine enquiries they make with restaurants and businesses to make sure customers are getting whet they are paying for.”

Mr Barber added that two Sheffield City Council trading standards officers ordered lamb bhuna with rice, costing £8.50 each, and after they introduced themselves and the meals were later tested it was established they had been served with cheaper beef instead of more expensive lamb.

Mr Hussain told trading standards that it had been a mistake because even though beef was not on the menu the restaurant ordered in beef because its Chinese customers requested this meat as a preference.

He apologised and he also told the court that since the closure of the Balti King he has been unemployed for nearly two months and has made a claim for Universal Credit benefits.

Mr Hussain added that the cost of living crisis and new council parking arrangements outside his restaurant had forced him to close down and he had to remortgage his home. He said he is now so poor he had to borrow £60 to travel from his home on Ashleigh Street, Keighley, to Sheffield, for the court hearing.

Magistrates sentenced Mr Hussain to a six-month conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £300 costs and a £22 victim surcharge to be paid at £20 per month. The council had originally applied for £943 costs to cover their investigation and meat analysis.

Following the hearing, Mr Hussain revealed he had been devastated to close down the Balti King restaurant after the business had struggled following Covid-19 lockdowns and he had been affected by the cost of living crisis and new council parking changes at Broomhill.

He claimed that he is due to be evicted from his home by March 10 unless he can find £4,000 to £5,000, and the loss of his business which has served the Broomhill community for 33 years had left him devastated.

Mr Hussain, who has a family, said: “I do not know what to do. I have tried and tried. I am devastated. I need to do something.”

Referring to his time at the Balti King, he added: “I had been there 33 years and all I have ever done is good. I have supported so many community causes. I used to sponsor about 16 rugby and football teams and Under 11s sides. I did absolutely everything. I did so much for charity. I used to donate and supported children’s charities.”

Mr Hussain’s Balti King restaurant had been popular with generation after generation of students and was also the restaurant of choice for the visiting rich and famous who stayed at the nearby Hallam Tower hotel.

Balti King customers include late football legend George Best, rock legend Mick Jagger, world snooker champion Steve Davis, Only Fools and Horses TV star David Jason, and footballers Kenny Dalglish and Andy Cole and many others.

The famous restaurant also catered for the IFA Bollywood stars’ awards which was held at the Sheffield Arena and Mr Hussain even earned his nickname ‘Tony’ after he allegedly played and beat snooker star Tony Meo.

Mr Hussain told how his restaurant used to help the homeless around Broomhill and he and his staff prevented burglaries at a nearby jewellers and the Boots store and they repeatedly helped customers who found themselves in difficulties.

He said: “If you are in a ring with someone you can take one punch or two punches, but I have taken every punch thrown at me. I tried and tried and worked day and night.

“I have had so many people ringing me and sympathising. I have lost everything. The restaurant was my livelihood I do not like begging but at this moment I need so much help.”