Balti King Sheffield: Bailiffs visit ex-restaurant boss now days away from losing family home

Tony Hussain said bailiffs arrived on Friday, March 10 to begin taking payment for money he owed, after he re-mortgaged his home in a last ditch attempt to keep his Sheffield restaurant trading. If he cannot raise the remaining £3,500 he owes within 14 days, Tony has said he will lose his home.

He said: “I have lived in this house since 1992 and it’s the only thing I have left at the moment.”

Balti King closed at the start of February, after a tumultuous few years through the Covid-19 pandemic and the cost of living crisis. Tony’s desperation to keep his restaurant afloat and to continue serving customers after 33 years in Broomhill meant he re-mortgaged his house and put the money into the restaurant.

Bailiffs visited Tony’s home with a court writ, which demanded Tony began to pay back what he owed. He said: “I had to pay something for this, but I haven’t got so much time to raise the £3,500 left.”

Recently, a former Sheffield University student started a JustGiving page for Tony, citing his charitable work and “generosity of spirit” and calling for students and locals, past and present to help Tony after he “did everything he could to save the business”. So far, the JustGiving page has raised £725.

When he confirmed the popular restaurant has closed, Tony said: “I’ve lost everything and I will probably lose my house now as well.”

Not long after, he was billed £322 for serving the wrong curry to food standards officials in a case heard at Sheffield Magistrates’ Court after the restaurant had closed.

Tony revealed his finances had gotten so dire, he had had to borrow £60 just to travel from his home in Keighley to Sheffield for the court hearing.

The court said he must pay £300 in costs and a £22 victim surcharge, which is to be paid at £20 per month. Sheffield City Council, which pursued the charge, had originally applied for £943 costs to cover their investigation and meat analysis.