Story by Nikky Wilson
The Kashmir Curry House is a bit of a landmark on Spital Hill, known for decades for good, tasty curries and an atmosphere of informality. B’sharath Hussain, who owns the restaurant, told me how it all started.
Back in the early 70s his parents had come to Sheffield and bought what had been “The Cherry Pie” café on Spital Hill to set up a Kashmiri restaurant. It was just one room with a pinball machine, basic tables and chairs and a kitchen at the back. There were only a couple of other Asian restaurants in Sheffield and The Kashmir was the first in Spital Hill.
Both parents worked hard to get the business going but it wasn’t terribly successful in the early days. “They used to offer daytime meals but it wasn’t until they switched to the evening trade that things started to take off,” said B’sharath. “Then, as they established a clientele, the situation began to improve. At that time I was helping my parents after school and we had the restaurant open until 5am – most of the customers arrived after the pubs and night clubs closed! Some didn’t have a great appreciation for the food and they weren’t always well behaved but we managed. I remember how we used to think that if we made £50 for a night’s takings, that was doing well!”
In the 80s, however, the decline of the steel industry started to bite on local businesses and customers changed from purely locals to include students and professionals from other parts of the city. From just one room the Kashmir expanded to fill two, finally taking over the corner building about 10 years ago. “It was a bit of a revolution when we got inside toilets and heating!” said B’sharath, “But we have still kept to our principles of good food in basic but comfortable surroundings. We don’t offer fancy table cloths or piped music but people seem to like that and they keep coming back. Some of my customers first came as small children with their parents… and now they bring their own children. It feels like we’ve won a place in people’s hearts.” From those days when B’sharath’s Mum and Dad did all the cooking, the place now employs six people and attracts customers from all over Sheffield.
So what does the future hold for The Kashmir? “I don’t have any problems with the Council’s plans to redevelop this block: the building is too old and dilapidated to repair,” said B’sharath. “But I am optimistic that future proposals will still include The Kashmir in this area.” Let’s hope that we can look forward to at least another 30 years of good food and that the tradition of The Kashmir continues to add to the culinary character of Spital Hill!