Edinburgh restaurant Tommy’s Banglacafe embroiled in wage row 'owes contractors thousands'

A contractor has claimed to be owed more than £12,000 by the owners of troubled ­restaurant Tommy’s Banglacafe.

The contractor, who did not wish to be identified, said that the business owes the money for work carried out ahead of the opening and the company has never dealt with registered business owner Rajoo Miah, only having dealings with Edinburgh’s “Curry King” Tommy Miah.

The contractor said: “The work we were instructed to do was by Tommy, not from anyone else. We were asked to carry out a fit of the restaurant which started with decoration, we then put in a quote and he agreed.”

'At the beginning, the invoices were being paid so we kept on working.'

The restaurant closed its doors without notice last month.

What began as decoration spiralled into £15,000 worth of labour in total, it’s said, including ­taking out sections of the ­ceilings the night ahead of the launch party so that beer lines could be installed.

“Tommy was always there making decisions and agreed on every price for the additional work.”

The contractor also claimed bills are still outstanding for work carried out in July and that countless phone calls have been made to Mr Miah and to Mr Miah Jr. The contractor said: “We’re worrying that we have tried to contact them so much we’re borderline harrassment. Tommy’s phone just rings but he never answers.”

It is claimed the restaurant owes thousands to contractors.

The contractors say they have struggled to absorb the £12,000 hole in their income, which is just over half of their monthly wage bill. Both ­company directors have been unable to take any money from their company since July. The claim of money owed follows the ­restaurant being embroiled in a wage war with staff.

The South Charlotte Street eatery – which suddenly closed its doors in the ­middle of last month – is currently facing legal action from staff members who say they are owed a total of £25,000 in wages, holiday pay and tips.

The Unite union has taken up the case of some staff.

No one from the restaurant was available for comment.