BUSINESSES IN LOCKDOWN

BUSINESSES IN LOCKDOWN: 9-PAGE SPECIAL

DIWAN BALTI: TAKEAWAY SUCCESS

It has been interesting watching the progress of Diwan Balti from my front window as I hang out of it meditating on the swirls from my wicked cigarettes. This was the first week after closure of all restaurants, with takeaways seeing only a small trickle of customers.

I spotted a young man making deliveries one evening and went over to ask him how they were doing and to ask if keeping open was worth the while. "We'll know at the start of next week," he smiled wryly in reply. He turned out to be Kalam, son of the founder and owner. He is now effectively running Moseley's favourite Balti (or any other curry) restaurant.

The nightly trickle continued and then, suddenly, on the third Saturday, there were queues of cars patiently waiting all evening long.I caught sight of him a couple of days later. It is all going well now. It seems there was a widely read article online which rated takeaways, the safest way of all to get your food in these strange times. The Food Hygiene ratings ensure that businesses take hygiene seriously at the best of times and are especially vigilant at the moment.

"Are you doing a reduced menu now, Kalam?" I asked him. "No. We're offering the usual choice but mostly people tend to choose a few favourites so effectively it is reduced."

It turns out that Garlic Chicken Chili Bahar is top of the list of 'favourites' with their world famous huge and delicious onion bhajees still 'selling like hotcakes'!'

There are just three of them keeping it all going. Before the change it took ten or eleven people to keep the customers satisfied. Here's hoping it won't be too extraordinarily long before they need them all again.

-Tessa Kate Lowe

The Diwan is open from 5.30pm until around 11pm. Order online at www.diwanbalti.co.uk or call 0121 442 4920