B&B owner accused of illegally operating Japanese takeaway restaurant

Furious neighbours accuse B&B owner of illegally operating a Japanese takeaway restaurant from his property – amid claims delivery riders are ‘accosting’ guests

  • Listings for Orlando Williams’ A&K Sakura have appeared on delivery apps
  • The city council has just launched a fourth probe into the allegations 

A B&B owner has been accused of making a ‘mockery of the law’ amid claims he is illegally operating a Japanese takeaway restaurant.

Orlando Williams insists he is only serving food to guests at his property, saying it’s ‘crazy’ for anyone to think otherwise.

But listings for Orlando’s A&K Sakura have appeared on delivery apps Uber Eats and Deliveroo, offering the Far Eastern cuisine, as well as Indian food and piri-piri chicken, while neighbours have complained of delivery bikes outside.

Guests have even posted reviews online, saying they were approached by delivery drivers looking for staff at the establishment in Norwich, Norfolk.

The city council has just launched a fourth probe into the allegations after it took no action in two previous investigations due to lack of evidence.

B&B owner Orlando Williams has been accused of making a ‘mockery of the law’ amid claims he is illegally operating a Japanese takeaway restaurant

Mr Williams insists he is only serving food to guests at his property (pictured), saying it’s ‘crazy’ for anyone to think otherwise

One probe led to Mr Williams, 75, being told to remove an illuminated sign outside his B&B.

Frustrated next-door neighbour Becky Greengrass said: ‘There are delivery drivers turning up in the evenings every day. I mean, it’s not exactly KFC but there’s still a number of drivers each night.

‘This is becoming a very serious issue now and someone needs to take responsibility and get this closed down. He is making a mockery of the law.

‘I want something done about this as it has been going on for four years and enough is enough.’

Ms Greengrass claimed the street reeked of fish and waste was ‘just chucked into the back garden’ where it was hidden with ‘colourful flags’.

Last month a B&B guest called Gordon left a review on Booking.com in which he complained he had been ‘accosted’ by moped drivers picking up orders and unable to speak to Mr Williams because he was busy making the takeaway meals.

‘When I went to ask a question to the owner about something, I was accosted by several delivery drivers asking if I worked there. All very strange.

‘The owner was in the kitchen preparing food to go out and when I asked him to assist with a matter, he said I should wait ten minutes while he was busy.’

Listings for Mr Williams’ A&K Sakura have appeared on delivery apps Uber Eats and Deliveroo, offering the Far Eastern cuisine, as well as Indian food and piri-piri chicken, while neighbours have complained of delivery bikes outside

An undercover reporter from local newspaper the Eastern Daily Press was told they needed to give a day’s notice if they wanted to order Japanese food. It is only licensed to serve guests.

Tripadvisor reviews have also complained of unprofessional service, with one visitor saying they were served dinner on a sofa in front of the television.

There have also been reports of diners being offered 10 per cent discounts if they put their own crockery and cutlery in the dishwasher and guests knocking on residents’ doors because no one was at the B&B to let them in.

The restaurant allegedly started operating at the premises in October 2018, triggering a council probe into an unlicensed restaurant and food safety three months later.

The following month it announced no further action would be taken due to a lack of ‘definitive’ evidence, despite residents saying they had been leafleted about the takeaway food.

Another investigation began in May 2020 following claims diners were being served in the property contrary to lockdown rules. Weeks later Mr Williams received an official warning to remove an illuminated sign which had been put up without permission.

Another formal look into the premises in December 2020 came to an end with the council declaring there was ‘no evidence’ food was being served to non-guests.

Mr Williams – whose restaurant was being advertised on Facebook yesterday – refused to discuss the matter when approached by the Mail, saying: ‘I have nothing to say to anybody.’

He recently insisted he had not breached the rules, adding a photo of a delivery moped outside his property proved nothing.

He said: ‘I don’t know what they are talking about. I haven’t got a clue why the moped was outside. Maybe it was delivering to someone.

‘There is no restaurant here. If someone has a problem with me, they should come to my door and tell me.

‘I don’t know how they’ve got this idea that I am running a restaurant in my house. It’s crazy.’

But Norwich City Council confirmed it had launched a new investigation last week.

A spokesman said: ‘We are actively investigating the use of the property at Orlando’s from a planning perspective.

‘Once this investigation is complete, we will consider the appropriate action to take.’

Uber Eats and Deliveroo were contacted for a comment.

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