TIME is running out to save one of Cowdenbeath’s best known restaurant businesses.

Through the Vico Development, which will see a superstore built at North End Park, the Kashmir Paradise restaurant will have to vacate its home, at 19 High Street, before the end of August.

One of the owners of the Kashmir Paradise, Denise Mahmood, has a plan to relocate and develop the business, which has been on its present site for 18 years, but she needs to get the go-ahead to redevelop the derelict Crown Hotel site, just a few yards from the Kashmir, to see her dream realised.

Said Denise this week, “We have to vacate the current home of our business by 29th August, which means time is of the essence.

“We have looked at the Crown site and it is perfect for what we need, indeed, the plans we have would see us develop our business and bring more jobs to Cowdenbeath.” They have six of a staff on their current site but Denise says that if everything was to go to plan they could have at least 14 people working at the Crown site.

“There is enough space at the site to create a restaurant and takeaway facility and we would be able to more than double our workforce,” she added, “However, we have not had anything back from the owners of the Crown about our bid and clearly time is starting to run very short.” The lady, who runs the Kashmir with her husband, desperately wants to stay in Cowdenbeath and she added, “Hopefully we will get some good news soon for we have been here for many years and have built up a very loyal clientel.

“The Crown would be the perfect site and we would look to keep the impressive front wall of the old hotel. If we can get the site I would like to think we could be up and running by mid-autumn”. Cowdenbeath councillor, Peter Lockhart, is hopeful that the Mahmoods will be successful, saying, “If we were to lose the Kashmir Paradise it would leave the town with only two restaurants, which is not good for a community of 10,000 people. Denise and her husband have built up a very reputable business over the years and it is one the town needs to keep.

“The plan to take over the Crown site would be a win-win situation for it would keep the business in Cowdenbeath and see this iconic site at the north end of High Street given a new lease of life at last.

“I really believe it is important that the Mahmoods are able to stay in the town and I hope they are successful with their negotiations.”