The owner of a Co Antrim restaurant venture destroyed in a racist arson attack has said he is “devastated” at the loss of his business.
Abjan Acharya had opened the Steam Dining restaurant in Newtownabbey earlier this year at the Railway Bar premises on the Ballyclare Road.
The building was targeted in an arson attack in the early hours of Wednesday, which police are treating as a racially motivated hate crime.
Graffiti stating ‘Muslims out’ was also scrawled on the wall of the premises, which was previously known as Moloney’s Bar.
Mr Acharya, who is a Hindu and originally from Nepal, moved to Belfast as a youngster and attended school in the city before studying at university in Liverpool.
The 32-year-old had previously worked in a venue in Belfast, before taking on the tenancy and opening the new restaurant business in Newtownabbey in March.
Twelve people had been employed at the premises, and Mr Acharya said he does not know what he will do next as he comes to terms with the destruction of his livelihood.
“This had been a dream for me - we started in March and things were going really well,” he said.
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“We had recently restyled the menu for dining in and for takeaway, and the staff were preparing for a busy few months of bookings.
“When I heard in the early hours there was a fire, my first thought was a spark or something had caused it accidentally.
“Then I saw the writing on the wall, and I realised that this was deliberate, and I’m just devastated that someone would want to do this. It’s really shocking.”
Speaking of the damage, he said: “Everything is gone - in the three different blocks, only the four walls are standing. Everything else has all gone to ashes.
“I had invested so much into this, and making it into a wonderful restaurant, for everyone in the community to come and visit and enjoy themselves, and now it’s all gone.”
Mr Acharya said his immediate plan is to secure work to support his family, including his young son.
“That is my main concern now, just providing for my family and trying to somehow recover from this.”
The building’s owner, Newtownabbey woman Debbie Hill, praised Abjan for his work in breathing new life into the venue in recent months.
“It’s just sickening that all of the hard work has ended with an attack like this,” she said.
“The damage is so bad that what is left will likely have to be demolished.”
A PSNI spokesperson said: “Enquiries are continuing and at this stage, the incident is being treated as a racially motivated hate crime.
“Police would appeal to anyone with any information in relation to the incident, to contact detectives on 101 quoting reference number 68 21/08/24.”
The attack was condemned by South Antrim DUP MLA Pam Cameron, who said: “The owners of the restaurant have been working hard to build up their business and contribute to the local community. Their efforts are a world away from those with nothing to offer but hate, destruction and chaos.”
Sinn Fein North Belfast MP John Finucane described the incident as “deplorable”.
Local Alliance councillor, Lewis Boyle, said: “This is the second racist incident in the greater Ballyclare area in recent weeks and this behaviour is completely unacceptable and must be called out and condemned. The actions of those responsible do not represent the wider views of our local community which stands in solidarity with the victims of these discriminatory attacks.”
