2 brothers 1 restaurant and a 2.5 million fight for survival

Dear friends, neighbours, and supporters,

Ahmet and Sahin Gok are brothers, restaurateurs, and proud members of the Lewisham community. For more than 20 years, they have run Meze Mangal, their family restaurant at 245 Lewisham Way. Many people have dined with them, celebrated with them, and shared memories under their roof. Meze Mangal has always been more than a restaurant – it is a home for their family and a hub for the community.

Today, however, they face the fight of their lives.

What Happened

It all began with a complaint from a neighbour about cooking odours and noise from the kitchen. As anyone who knows the Gok brothers will tell you, they take their responsibility to their neighbours very seriously. The last thing they ever wanted was to cause disturbance to the community they love and serve.

So, they did what they thought was right: they invested heavily to fix the problem. In fact, they spent just under £50,000 on a new extraction system – a huge amount for a family-run restaurant like theirs. The system worked. It alleviated the complaints and solved the issue.

But because the restaurant is in a conservation area, installing such equipment required additional planning permissions. They applied, but their application was refused.

At that point, they made what they thought was the right choice: they left the extractor in place. They believed it was more important to keep peace with their neighbours and maintain the restaurant’s reputation than to follow what felt like an unreasonable decision. They never imagined this would become the biggest mistake of their lives.

Instead of working with them, Lewisham Council escalated matters in the most extreme way possible. What should have been a simple planning issue has now been turned into a criminal prosecution under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) – a law created to target serious organised crime.

The irony is not lost on them: many Lewisham councillors, staff, and even the Mayor herself have regularly eaten, drunk, and held events at Meze Mangal. The restaurant has been a gathering place for the very same council that is now trying to destroy it.

Now, that same council is demanding an unbelievable £2.5 million confiscation order in so-called “criminal profits.” For an extractor fan. For a restaurant that has served this community for over two decades.

What This Means for Them

Ahmet and Sahin are both over 50, approaching 60 years old, and instead of looking to the future with their families, they are facing ruin.

During the drawn-out court process, their mother and father – both in their early 80s – sadly passed away. Due to the council’s prosecutor, the judge was led to believe that they were flight risks, resulting in the seizure of their passports.

Their business bank account has been frozen, choking their ability to operate and putting their staff’s jobs at risk.

After surviving the pandemic, navigating Brexit, and coping with skyrocketing costs, this case is now pushing them to the brink of shutting down permanently.

Why They Need Help

They are not asking for charity.

They are asking for fairness and the means to fight an absurd case in court.

The hospitality industry has been struggling since COVID. Running a restaurant has never been harder, with rising costs and falling margins. Now, on top of everything, they are being dragged through a legal nightmare that could destroy them completely.

Without help, they cannot afford to keep fighting. Without fighting, they cannot survive.

This fundraiser is simply to give them the chance to:

But more than money, what Ahmet and Sahin truly need is a community that will stand up and pressure Lewisham Council to drop its POCA claim. Public awareness, collective outrage, and united voices can make a real difference.

They need the people who have supported Meze Mangal for decades to help ensure justice is done — by speaking out, contacting local representatives, and demanding fairness.

A recent example proves that community power works: K J Building Supplies faced similar treatment when the Council took them to court over a simple shipping container and tried to pursue POCA charges. But once the public got involved and pressure mounted, the Council dropped the case. *Your could read more here*

The same can happen here — if the community stands together, the Council can be persuaded to withdraw this unjust POCA claim against Meze Mangal.

How You Can Help

A Message from Their Hearts

Ahmet and Sahin came to this country to build an honest life and to give back to their community. Over the years, Meze Mangal has also earned glowing national attention for its hospitality and food. In one London news feature, it was celebrated for achieving higher customer-satisfaction ratings than some of the city’s most exclusive West End restaurants and hotels.

That recognition reflected what their guests have always told them: that you don’t need luxury prices to offer five-star warmth and service. But to see it strangled by bureaucracy and greed is devastating – not just for them, but for the many who love this place.

They are not young men anymore. They should be focusing on family, health, and continuing to serve their loyal community — not fighting for survival in a courtroom.

With the community’s help, they believe they can stand up to this injustice, save Meze Mangal, and continue to serve as they always have.

A big thank you to The Big Retort for its powerful Save Meze Mangal campaign and for shining a light on their fight for justice.

With gratitude and hope,

Ahmet & Sahin Gok

Meze Mangal Restaurant