Popular restaurant to move premises amid bitter dispute

The popular Mosque Kitchen, which has been operating on the Potterrow site for ten years, is due to move to nearby Nicolson Square in the next two weeks.

It comes after the Evening News reported that the police had launched an investigation into alleged financial irregularities at the mosque surrounding a 500,000 donation.

Police confirmed today that their investigation had now been dropped, but bad blood has continued between rival factions at the mosque.

Ahmed Maqbool, who runs the Mosque Kitchen, alleged the directors threatened to kick out the business after he voiced his opinion on the alleged financial irregularities.

The mosque has hit back and said that the business has not been paying rent for months and had breached its lease.

Opened to the public after the September 11 attacks in 2001 as a way of improving relations with the Islamic community, the Mosque Kitchen serves meals for under 5 and was nominated for a Scottish Restaurant Award last year.

Mr Maqbool said the lease expired in 2009 but had continued to operate after that, with the business paying a weekly 1060 donation to the mosque. He said the rent for the premises, which has a roofed open-air dining area, is valued at 8000.

"The mosque owes me 50,000 for food we've supplied them for the month of Ramadan, as well as to the Imam and the caretaker," he said. "I've not paid the donation for six or seven months now. You can't force someone to make a donation."

Mr Maqbool said the new premises would be opened in the next two weeks, but the business would also continue to operate in its current location until he was paid the money owed to him by the mosque.

Mohammed Akbar, who also runs the kitchen, said prices would stay the same at the new premises during the day, but would increase after 7pm when a buffet would be offered.

"We are able to offer cheaper food by getting subsidised rates from suppliers," he said. "The rent will be more expensive but at least we'll be indoors."

Alastair Keatinge, a lawyer acting for the Edinburgh Central Mosque, said both parties were corresponding through solicitors, although no formal court action was in place to recover any money.

He said: "No payment has been received since August. The payment isn't voluntary or paid instead of rent. They've made a number of significant breaches of the lease where they've strayed into areas that they're not meant to occupy."

A police spokesman said: "Lothian and Borders Police can confirm that no further police action is being taken in relation to earlier allegations of financial irregularities at a place of worship in Edinburgh."