Sidcup: Greek Meze 2 launches strange appeal to re-hire violent worker

Greek Meze 2, located at 299 Main Road, would like to re-hire former worker Niko Ntiso, who had several police complaints filed against him last year.

Now, the restaurant has applied for a new premises license so they can employ him again, sparking backlash from the Met Police.

The move has been criticised by the force as an attempt to “circumvent” the ban they feel is necessary to "protect women and girls."

This is the second time this year the Greek restaurant has attempted to bring back Mr Ntiso, despite police giving evidence that he grabbed a female customer by the neck and attempted to pour alcohol down her throat.

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Bexley Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee banned Mr Ntiso from working at the Greek restaurant and shisha lounge in February 2025 because police evidence claimed he had been pouring alcoholic drinks directly into the mouths of customers.

Police also gave evidence that Mr Ntiso had grabbed female customers on multiple occasions.

Greek Meze 2 applied to have the condition banning Mr Ntiso removed from its licence less than a year later, citing “significant operational changes” and Mr Ntiso’s undertaking of conflict management training and welfare and vulnerability engagement training as reasons why it should be overturned.

This application was refused by the same committee in March after police said female customers at Greek Meze 2 want “to have a nice night out without being grabbed, plied with alcohol or manhandled”.

Greek Meze 2’s premises licence holder Leonard Truni submitted a new premises licence application on June 2. Unlike the previous one, this latest application is for a new premises licence altogether, rather than an application to vary Greek Meze’s 2 current licence.

The new licence seeks the same licensable activities and hours with conditions that mirror or slightly differ from the wording of the current ones. The main difference is that the condition banning Mr Ntiso has been removed.

Mr Truni suggested at a previous licensing hearing that takings at Greek Meze 2 were down 50 per cent since Mr Ntiso’s ban and the restaurant was facing closure.

PC Kate Ellen strongly objected to the application and called it “purely a way to circumvent” the ban. She reiterated that Mr Ntiso had demonstrated a “clear pattern of inappropriate and unacceptable behaviour”.

PC Ellen said: “Therefore in light of the consistent pattern of behaviour, the repeated failure of management to uphold assurances, and the continued impact on female patrons, the police position is clear: if this licence is permitted to continue without the relevant condition restricting Mr Ntiso’s involvement, the cycle of incidents will persist.

“Women will continue to be placed in situations where they feel unsafe and vulnerable, and confidence in the management of this premises will be further undermined.”

Bexley’s licensing team objected to the application for similar reasons as the police. The borough’s Environmental Health department objected because Greek Meze 2 received 15 noise complaints in the last year.

Bexley Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee will consider this latest premises licence application for Greek Meze 2 this week (July 22).