Staff shortage leading to Balti Belt curry crisis

Feb 14 2008 By James Cartledge

A CURRY crisis is looming in Birmingham's famous Balti Belt.

Some of the city's favourite curry houses are struggling to take on enough staff after restrictions on foreign workers coming to the UK were tightened.

The Kababish, Woodbridge Road, Moseley; Adil, in Stoney Lane, Sparkbrook; and Lasan, which has two Birmingham branches, are among those hit.

The problem is also being felt elsewhere in the Midlands, with one restaurant owner working a seven-day week because he can't find new staff.

Now industry leaders have written to immigration minister and Hodge Hill MP Liam Byrne asking him to relax the rules for workers from Pakistan and Bangladesh.

"We have good chefs but we have problems trying to get more," said Kababish boss Sajod Shafique, whose family business has been based in Moseley for 25 years.

Adil's owner Mohammed Arif said he was braced for problems as he tried to bring in fresh blood to his restaurant, which was last year highlighted by tourism bible, Rough Guide, alongside 999 other ultimate travel experiences.

"Our staff are from the UK but we will be expanding and I will be looking to take on staff from Pakistan," he said.

In Balsall Common, near Solihull, Café Tamarind owner Majidul Choudhury said he was doing every job himself, right down to cleaning the toilets.

Not even praise from Gordon Ramsay, who has eaten there twice, could attract new staff, Mr Choudhury said.

"I'm after an experienced waiter from Pakistan so I don't have to waste time explaining the orders."

Lasan boss Jabbar Khan, who has restaurants at St Paul's Square in Birmingham city centre and Stratford Road, Hall Green, has senior vacancies at both his branches.

He said it was almost impossible for immigrants to achieve the 50 points needed under a totting-up system which will decide whether they can work in Britain.

The Immigration Advisory Service, a charity providing advice on asylum law, told Mr Byrne the labour shortage could cause "irreparable damage" to the curry industry.

The MP said the issue was being considered by an independent migration advisory committee he formed last year.