Babul's in Darlington donates meals to police after unrest

Babul's on Skinnergate put smiles on the faces of officers on shift over the weekend (August 11) when they stopped by with meals to show their gratitude to the team who worked during 'pockets of violence' which broke out on August 5.

Four people were subsequently arrested and charged including 18-year-old Cole Stewart who was caught  “celebrating” after throwing missiles at police near a mosque.

Babul's donates meals to Darlington police officers. (Image: NESTVID)

He was sentenced to 18 months custody in a young offenders' institute on Monday (August 12).

Zak Ahmed, of Babul's, told The Northern Echo they decided to make the gesture as a token of their gratitude.

He said: "It really hits home when it happens in your town. We always thought it would never happen here - that Darlington isn't that kind of place.

"But it did, and it just goes to show that nowhere is really safe. The idea came from there - I don't think we recognise the amount of work the police do to keep us safe. 

"That's why we decided to do it - a small gesture. We thought if we could bring some food to the police it would be our little way of saying thank you."

Choices for the officers included biriyani rice, chicken bhuna and vegetable curry in individual portions.

"Everyone was all smiles - I can't explain it, you could tell they were happy for the recognition and kindness and that they were being recognised for the work they do.

"Seeing their reaction made it all worth it. These officers are just like us - they are just normal people who work very hard in the job that they do."

A video taken of the drop-off shows one of the officers thanking Babul's for their donation, adding that it has been a "tough week for everybody".

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Zak added that the night that disorder took place was a difficult one for the business.

He said: "It was shocking when it happened. Ultimately, it was our community being targeted. It makes you worry whether the streets are safe and whether it's safe to open the business.

"We closed early and made sure everyone who works for us got home safe. We had to take all of those precautions - safety comes first."