A CAFE owner has been ordered to rip out her extractor fan - after complaints that the pong of bacon offends Muslims.
Council officials told Beverley Akcicek, 49, the smells were "unacceptable".
Beverley - who runs the Snack Shack takeaway with Turkish Muslim husband Cetin, 50 - said: "It's just crazy.
"Cetin's friends are Muslim and come in a couple of times a week. The smell doesn't offend them."
The couple replaced an existing fan when they took over the cafe in Stockport, Greater Manchester, three years ago.
Takeaway ... Bev and Cetin Akcicek
But neighbours Graham and Sarah Webb-Lee have complained to the council about the vent a foot from their front door.
Graham, 40, said: "Every morning the smell of bacon comes through and makes me physically sick.
"I have a lot of Muslim friends. They refuse to visit me any more because they can't stand the smell." Muslims are forbidden to eat meat from pigs.
Sarah, 38, said: "The smell offends some of our Muslim friends because of their beliefs."
The mum of four said the fumes also made two of her daughters, one a 17-year-old anorexic, sick.
Beverley said council officials inspected the cafe last year and found no problem.
They later told her she needed retrospective planning permission for the fan - and refused to grant it after the Webb-Lees objected.
Mum of seven Beverley, who plans to appeal, said: "It's been a sandwich shop for eight years and there's never been a problem."
A Stockport Council spokesman said the fan was banned "on grounds of residential amenity".
He said: "It was felt the odours from the vent were unacceptable for neighbouring residents."
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...s-Muslims.html
Council officials told Beverley Akcicek, 49, the smells were "unacceptable".
Beverley - who runs the Snack Shack takeaway with Turkish Muslim husband Cetin, 50 - said: "It's just crazy.
"Cetin's friends are Muslim and come in a couple of times a week. The smell doesn't offend them."
The couple replaced an existing fan when they took over the cafe in Stockport, Greater Manchester, three years ago.
Takeaway ... Bev and Cetin Akcicek
But neighbours Graham and Sarah Webb-Lee have complained to the council about the vent a foot from their front door.
Graham, 40, said: "Every morning the smell of bacon comes through and makes me physically sick.
"I have a lot of Muslim friends. They refuse to visit me any more because they can't stand the smell." Muslims are forbidden to eat meat from pigs.
Sarah, 38, said: "The smell offends some of our Muslim friends because of their beliefs."
The mum of four said the fumes also made two of her daughters, one a 17-year-old anorexic, sick.
Beverley said council officials inspected the cafe last year and found no problem.
They later told her she needed retrospective planning permission for the fan - and refused to grant it after the Webb-Lees objected.
Mum of seven Beverley, who plans to appeal, said: "It's been a sandwich shop for eight years and there's never been a problem."
A Stockport Council spokesman said the fan was banned "on grounds of residential amenity".
He said: "It was felt the odours from the vent were unacceptable for neighbouring residents."
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage...s-Muslims.html
Comment