A restaurant owner in Belfast who specialised in Indian and Bangladeshi food expressed his excitement about starting on Christmas Day and spreading cheer to people who might otherwise be alone.
Luthfur Ahmed conveyed his delight at being able to open presents this Christmas after being prevented from doing so the year before by a coronavirus lockdown.
With the exception of the pandemic, he has opened the Bengal Brasserie on Ormeau Road on Christmas Day since 2016.
On December 25 of last year, he was unable to open his doors, so he and his staff instead made takeout and gave it to those in need.
During the pandemic, they also provided hundreds of meals to the medical staff at Belfast City Hospital.
However, he asserted that making new friends and welcoming customers into the restaurant make the day.
Christmas is not a holy day for Mr. Ahmed’s religion, which is Muslim and has Muslim roots. He is originally from Bangladesh.
In addition to a Christmas pudding, he is preparing 150 dinners this year in the popular Indian/Bangladeshi cuisine style of his restaurant.
He said it makes him happy to help people.
“For some of those less fortunate we invite them to come here and spend Christmas with us,” he said.
Mr Ahmed has been the director of the popular restaurant since 2011 and started the Christmas Day opening in 2016.
“I wanted to do it because when people come here they are happy, they enjoy themselves, and I see people on their own struggling,” he said.
“I have seen people come on Christmas Day that do not have anyone else, and when they come here and sit down they are sharing memories and get to know each other.
“They always ask me will you do this again next year? That makes me happy. This is our small way of giving something back to the community.
“We want to ease the burden for some families and individuals who are really struggling with this terrible cost-of-living crisis.
“We want to feed those who are less fortunate than ourselves, but just as important is our desire to bring a smile to faces and give people some respite from these economic woes.”
Bengal Brasserie marked its 33rd birthday in Belfast in October.