When the owners of Shish Meze brought a little bit of Turkey to the Essex town of Abridge, they wanted their customers to walk away with more than just a satisfied appetite.
Their ground-floor restaurant in the centre of this market town serves plenty of authentic Turkish dishes, but they see themselves as an entertainment venue. The plan was to turn the upper floor into a bar and relaxed music area, but they hit a hurdle when applying for a drinks licence. Irregularities with their existing licence meant they called on Complete Licensing to resolve the issue – which we did.
However, Epping Forest council separately served a Noise Abatement notice on Shish Meze, which obviously affected all plans.
Again, we were able to help out. Complete Licensing challenged the notice and, with the expert analysis of our acoustics specialist, Richard Vivian, proved the objections unfounded. The council not only withdrew the notice but also agreed to pay all costs.
A new application for Shish Meze’s upper floor was granted and the venue now boasts a smart bar and music setting featuring live acts with a Turkish flavour. Customers can choose – eat first and visit upstairs later or drink and then dine. Either way, we’ve helped to give Abridge a true Turkish flavour.