Restaurant dishes up a new magazine (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

Restaurant dishes up a new magazine

4:30pm Saturday 25th November 2006

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AN INDIAN restaurant is branching out to publish a community magazine.

The Star of India in Leytonstone High Road, winner of the Pride in Waltham Forest restaurant award two years ago, was established in 1978 and continues to prosper.

Restaurant owner Shah Ahmed inherited the business from his father and in the last year has expanded its capacity from 70 to 110 diners.

He is battling for planning permission to convert the flat above into another restaurant floor as he wants to expand and keep the restaurant in Leytonstone.

He launched the Star magazine at a lunch party for local dignitaries, including Munawar Hussain, regeneration officer for Waltham Forest Council, Dwayne Williams, Leytonstone business manager, Fawaad Sheikh, chairman of the Leytonstone Business Forum and Leytonstone Cllr Clyde Loakes.

Mr Ahmed said: "The magazine is about linking the community.

"We are going to work with schools to increase their portfolios in the area, raise money for charities, and highlight local campaigns.

"A lot of people are giving Leytonstone a bad name, but it is a fantastic place to live and work.

"I have done that for the last 25 years, and I really want to promote the area "I am a very community-orientated person and as a resident I think it is my duty to link the community together.

"I am hoping it will promote the business association to local consumers, so I want to show them what we have got."

The Star's first edition covers the Car Free Day in Leytonstone, celebrations of Diwali and Eid, news and events in the area, recipes for curry and an article about wine tasting.

Mr Ahmed said the magazine will be filled with information about council services, local residents' groups and events.

It will be published every few months with 50,000 free copies distributed in Leytonstone, Wanstead, Leyton and Walthamstow.

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