Monday interview: Tony Hussein

Published on Sunday 8 June 2008 21:37

HIS name is Tony, Tony Hussain. In one way he is a typical property man – pinstripe suit, expensive sunglasses, BMW SUV with subtly-tinted windows and aircon. But in other ways he is quite untypical. For one thing, his name is Iqbal. As children, he and his brother Ali were fans of Roger Moore and Tony Curtis in The Persuaders. Somehow the nickname of Tony stuck.

Although he often prefers to be called Iqbal, he suits the showbiz moniker. In addition to developing his portfolio of leisure-industry properties, he is also a business angel, a screenwriter and an occasional actor. Next month, he is adding to the list a credit as a film producer.

He has persuaded Bollywood director Nilesh Milhotra to film his new feature in Scotland. Beyond Belief combines a "love story set within an environment of fundamentalist terrorism".

But it will be funny, like a topical East is East. It will also feature a big Indian singing star, Sukinder Singh. According to Hussain it will be no small, independent film. "It will be shown around the world. It will be distributed by the big distributors. It will be an international cast in it. It is a budget international film, not a low-budget film."

It is not his first brush with fame. A few years ago he was involved with a short film that aired on BBC2. Produced by Hand Pict Productions, the film, called Jute, Jam and Islam was a thoughtful documentary on Dundee's Islamic community.

It was Hussain's idea to respond to fear of Islam engendered after 9/11 and the US and Britain's resulting war on terror. He wanted to show that Islam was not about extremism.

"After September 11 and the bombings in London and the war, the average Asian Muslim person is just happy in day-to-day life not to have anything to do with these people," says Hussain. "Unfortunately there are a few bad apples that spoil it for everyone. These people are very extremist in their view, but they are not the views of all Muslims. They are the views of very few.

"I'm second generation here and my son is in the army cadets. Loyalty is where you stay."

This is a long way from the start he got in restaurants. But restaurants was what a school-leaver in a young Punjabi family established in Scotland could do. "When we were younger, our parents tell us either open a restaurant or become a doctor – it is a very Asian thing," says Hussain. "Or become an accountant."

But even at a young age, Hussain demonstrated initiative. He didn't just get a job in a restaurant: at 16 he started his own with a partner, a chef, in Dundee. It was, he says, the best time of his life. "It was a great atmosphere. We all used to play football on a Sunday and go to the restaurant and serve."

His flair for the theatrical manifested itself early in his restaurants. In drama as in restaurants, it is often only a small gesture that makes a big impact. In Dundee, he gave all women diners a flower. He also caught the eye by offering Dundee's biggest naan bread. "Life is about dressing things up. That is why people drive nice cars, wear nice suits and women like nice bags, it is all about presentation," says Hussain. Although he sold out of restaurants three years ago to start his property business, SHK Developments, he was recently lured back into the trade when an opportunity to good to resist came up.

He opened Bollywood, a 175-seater restaurant in Dundee. The name chimes well with his cinematic ambitions, while the restaurant also offers something a little bit different: it screens Bollywood films with subtitles and the chefs can be seen doing their work from a glassed-in kitchen. Plus, in keeping with the latest trend, he plans to make the menu organic.

Organic Indian food? In Dundee? "We will introduce a few organic dishes and see what diners think. But I think there is a market for that."

While Hussain has plans to expand the Bollywood franchise, he is looking for a partner to run it for him. It fits with his business model, which in his typical showbiz fashion, he likens it to a sort of Dragon's Den for the catering trade. He operates a model similar to a franchise. Some of his properties, such as the award-winning Bervie Chipper chip shops are branded, some are just takeaways or other restaurant or pub businesses. Whether they need investment, or a business mentor or just a property, Hussain will provide it.

When he sold his last restaurant, he started SKH with the 50,000 he made. "There was not much there," he admits. But in three years, he has created a small but well-formed portfolio of 20 properties. And he plans to grow further. Backed by Bank of Ireland, he has a 20 million fund to buy more. In another three years, he aims to have 60 or 70 restaurants, and then start buying up chains. His rule is he buys three properties, sells one and keeps two.

In a time when banks are reining in lending, particularly when it comes to backing commercial property in areas the industry calls secondary, or "off pitch", SHK's model is going directly against the grain. Perhaps that is why it is working.

"Of course we need bank funding, but they have faith in our model because our returns are not just meeting their interest payment. We have invested not just in the property, but in the business. Our tenants or franchisers are committed because they also pay a fee. They don't want to lose their money. Plus we have upgraded the place," says Hussain.

Ken Hillen, head of Bank of Ireland in Scotland, says that times are tough financially, Hussain's model is a solid investment that has not disappointed. "It is very much you have a tenant in place," says Hillen. "If you want to set up a chip and shop and a takeaway, he delivers on his promises.

While Hussain may be every bit the property wheeler-dealer, he is also conscious of how he got his start, and helps others get theirs. "I wish I had gone to university to learn more about business," says Hussain wistfully. "It would have given me a good start to life. But I have taught myself how business is done."

As for the film, he says it is definitely still a hobby. "The film business is risky." But he won't let it hold him back. "My dream is to teach myself in life that I can do so many things and be among different people."