Council 'working' to sort derelict Dereham restaurant Akaash

The Akaash in Dereham, dubbed a "stain on the town centre" by local councillors, has fallen into ruin following its closure nearly a decade ago.

The issue has been causing controversy among locals and has prompted frequent demands for Breckland Council to take action to solve the problem site.

Alison Webb, cabinet member for corporate services at Breckland Council (Image: Breckland Council)

Alison Webb, cabinet member for customer and corporate services, probed for answers at a full council meeting this week.

She said: "The Akaash in Dereham is really bad. It has been let go and looks quite dangerous. Things need to be done."

It has now been revealed that a court date has been set for the end of this month.

Sarah Suggitt, deputy leader, said: "As you know this has been a long and drawn-out process. We have been working hard with the family that owns the Akaash to find a resolution which has been a difficult conversation to be had. 

The Akaash Tandoori restaurant remains a stain to Dereham's historic market place. (Image: Denise Bradley)

"We do have a court date at the end of September and we hope to get an order that will require for the works to be carried out.

"Aside from this have been making sure the building remains safe.

"It is being monitored and we are doing the best we can with the tools that we have."

The Akaash Tandoori Restaurant building, at 23 Market Place, has been a contentious topic since its owners abandoned it in 2015.

In October 2022, Breckland Council issued an enforcement notice, requiring improvements to the property but this has now expired.

The authority hopes that following success in court, the restaurant can be brought back to its former glory.