Restaurant hits back as neighbours complain of noise, bad smells and fights

But the restaurant has hit back, defending against the accusations and said it is working with the council to rectify neighbours’ concerns – adding ‘we just want to work things out’.

Residents across Lightswood Road and Three Shires Oak Road have now submitted a petition to Sandwell council complaining about the levels of noise from Mount Nemrut restaurant.

Mike Liebman, who lives adjacent to the restaurant, said the noise has been “mental torture” for him and his wife.

“The noise is not only frustrating, it is affecting our health. It is mental torture to have to endure ongoing music for so long and so loud,” he said.

“Every night we are anxious. It has affected our day-to-day living. We sleep mainly in the day now, as we know we will not be able to sleep at night.”

Mr Liebman said he first complained in 2019 to his MP, Sandwell council and West Midlands Police. Since then he has documented the time of the noise taking place.

According to Mr Liebman, the smell of cooked food and the restaurant’s extractor fan is also “troublesome”.

“The kitchen extractor is situated five metres from my bedroom window. It runs in the morning until the restaurant closes – sometimes until 5.30am.

“The noise from this means I am unable to open my window. The smell and smoke are emitted all day, even with the extractor on. It means me and my wife can’t open our windows or enjoy our garden. We can’t even hang our washing out.”

Mr Liebman said the property next door has been a restaurant for many years, and he has “never experienced an issue” with the previous owners.

But now he and his wife claim they are unable to live a “normal life”. He added: “We have been trying to get this desperate situation resolved for over two and half years. I understand coronavirus has caused delays, however this issue was raised before the pandemic and we are at our wits’ end.”

Onur Akgul, 26, the owner’s son of Mount Nemrut restaurant, said his “hands are tied” over noise complaints.

He said: “There are noisy customers, yes, and sometimes they park their cars across the street of the neighbours, but is it my fault? I’m not the police.

“I have a licence from Sandwell council to play music until 12.30am. Our restaurant is extremely popular and booked out every night – even tonight on a Monday.”

Footage seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service has shown one unnamed neighbour shouting and swearing at Mr Akgul.

“The neighbours adjacent to my restaurant have shouted and swore at my customers before. It’s not nice. I can understand their frustrations, but I have tried to work with the local council to sort our problems out.

“In our culture we treat our neighbours like family. On New Year’s Eve this year I went over to one neighbour with a bottle of wine to offer a clean slate. She told me to f*** o**.”

The restaurant, who won a British Kebab Award in 2020 for customer satisfaction, is looking to install carbon filters to reduce the smoke from its grill affecting other residents.

Mr Akgul said: “As owners we want to get on with our neighbours, but they ignore us. We just want to work things out.”

Councillor Jay Anandou, who Mr Liebman contacted to help, said: “Labour are arrogant and incompetent in dealing with issues time and again they prove they are not working for Sandwell citizens.

“It is appalling to see elderly vulnerable residents of Bearwood ignored and made to suffer with very loud music and nuisance almost on a daily basis, with Sandwell council taking no action.

“Hopefully, the signed petition from the locals will prompt the authorities to take immediate action on the restaurant.”

Mohammed Sakhi, a Conservative community activist, who sent the petition on behalf of Mr Liebman, said: “The residents of Abbey and Bearwood deserve better. Sandwell council has failed to take action against Nemrut, the restaurant causing havoc to its local residents.

“Residents have the right to live in peace. This basic right being denied by an inconsiderate entrepreneur and the elderly residents and their neighbours have raised the issue several times without any avail. We have seen local Labour MP’s and councillors promoting the restaurant but not listening to their own suffering constituents.”

A spokesperson for Sandwell Council said: “We can confirm we received a petition on Monday, October 4, about the Mount Nemrut Restaurant. The issues raised in the petition and by local councillors will be looked at carefully and the council will take appropriate action once they have all been examined.”