By Adrian Zorzut, Local Democracy Reporter
A restaurant dubbed the ‘beating heart’ of a Soho street by a customer faces losing its licence after being accused of repeatedly breaching its licensing conditions.
Westminster City council will decide whether to revoke the licences for both Violet’s and the neighbouring Mediterranean Café on Berwick Street, Soho, which are both owned by the same company.
It is claimed staff were repeatedly caught selling alcohol out of trading hours and to people without meals, which is in breach of the restaurant’s licence. A probe by licensing officers found the premises failed to carry out ID checks and used unauthorised chairs and tables on the footpath outside the restaurant and café.
Ali Asku, who owns both restaurants, has denied the allegations. The Metropolitan Police and the Soho Society both support the licences of the two linked venues being revoked.
In a council report, a senior licensing officer claimed Mr Aksu’s controlling company, Soho Sky Limited, was the least compliant operator they had ever worked with.
He wrote: “Given the repetitive nature of this non-compliance, we request serious consideration is given to the licences being revoked in line with the licensing objectives, the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and the prevention of public nuisance.”
The operator has been fined £14,000 in the past for licensing breaches which it pleaded guilty to. The venues also faced a licence review in 2021 over similar alleged breaches and had their premises shut down by police in June 2024 after staff were allegedly caught serving alcohol to customers without food during Pride celebrations.
On New Year’s Eve 2024, Met officers say they found that customers being told they could request a table for drinks at Violet’s without eating food. When a council licensing officer approached the manager, she claims she was ‘elbowed’ out of the way and sworn at. A letter written on behalf of Mr Aksu said he ‘strongly refutes’ the alleged altercation and claimed neither CCTV footage or witness statements support the council’s accusation.
He also categorically denied the accusation customers were encouraged to book tables for drinks only. A letter by the Met Police said it was ‘disappointing’ to see the restaurants face another review.
They wrote: “It is clear from both evidence submitted from the licensing authority and evidence gathered from visits by police licensing that there are serious continued issues. It is of serious concern that again, after the previous review, there have been occasions where the licence holder has again been found to be trading after the terminal hour.”
Mr Aksu has a letter of support from a customer calling him a ‘pillar’ of Soho and the Mediterranean Cafe a ‘beloved community hub’. The letter reads: “[Mediterranean Cafe and Violet’s] are known for their warm atmosphere, reasonably priced nutritious meals, and genuine connection to the community.”
Writing to the council, one customer said: “Violet’s is the beating heart of Berwick Street. Whether I go alone or with friends, staff and guests are immensely welcoming and friendly. When the doors are open for summer, laughter pours onto the street and summons in passers-by. Its disappearance would leave a gaping hole.”
Mr Aksu said: “I have been here since I was a teenager. I’ve built up my business with hard work and I’ve put my heart and soul into my two cafés.
“I’ve always been a people person – and these two cafes mean so much to me, but they also mean so much to the local community, the ‘village’ called Soho that I have come to love over the years. We have all kinds of people coming into my places. Writers, artists, directors, workers and they are all part of my family.”
Pictured top: The Mediterranean Cafe on Berwick Street (Picture: Google Street View)