Derby's first tandoori restaurant owner is still living life in the fast lane
The restaurateur who opened Derby's first tandoori is hoping to cash in on the business boom created by the British Grand Prix coming to Castle Donington.
David Kumar opened the city's original Indian restaurant, the Full Moon, in Normanton Road, 30 years ago.
He turned it into one of the city's most successful eateries, with regular celebrity diners including world snooker champion Steve Davis.
The 70-year-old, originally from India, took over the Grade II-listed Melbourne Arms bed and breakfast, in Ashby Road, Melbourne, in 1992.
Since then he has completely revamped the 18th-century building.
Now he is about to start work on expanding the bed and breakfast, which also houses the 125-seat Cuisine India restaurant.
It currently has seven rooms for overnight guests, but he was granted planning permission for an extra 13 bedrooms by South Derbyshire District Council.
But, with the British Grand Prix set to come to Donington in 2010, the businessman has decided the time is right to expand his premises – and hopefully attract Formula One fans.
"You never know what Bernie Ecclestone is up to, so everyone is still waiting to see the plans for Donington," he said.
"But if the Grand Prix does come here it will mean big business for hotels and bed and breakfasts, particularly those close to the track and the airport.
"It would be a massive bonus for the hospitality industry. There will definitely be more demand and we are ideally placed to take advantage of that."
It is a far cry from Mr Kumar's first taste of Europe – he worked in Ireland for a year as a door-to-door salesman in the early 1960s before moving to England.
The new rooms will be built on the neighbouring car park, which will be expanded towards Mr Kumar's bungalow next door.
It was announced last month that Donington Ventures Leisure Ltd, the firm with a 150-year lease on Donington Park, had won the right to host the grand prix on a decade-long deal.
As part of the agreement, £100m will be spent upgrading facilities to help it rival other stadia across the world.
Business leaders said the extra trade coming into the East Midlands would be a huge boon.
Mr Kumar has had two heart attacks, most recently in 2000, which led to him selling the Full Moon in 2003, but he has no plans to retire.
"I will never stop working," he said. "They will have to carry me out of here."
Article from Derby Evening Telegraph - Friday, August 15, 2008
