…as family face deportation
Bright and Cynthia Chinule, Nigerian owners of the ‘Taste Africana’, the first African restaurant in Leigh, Greater Manchester fear they will be chased out of the UK back to Nigeria if they cannot raise £26,000 in the next seven days.
The pair, parents to three children born and raised in the United Kingdom, found themselves in a debt debacle since last September when the building their restaurant was located partly caved in just three weeks after opening, leading to the closure of the building by the city council.
The incident preceded months of “incredible difficulty” for the pair who were able to find their feet many weeks later when they reopened on Market Street in November 2023. However, the damage had been done.
“We had invested so much into that restaurant—both financially and emotionally—and the setback was overwhelming,” Bright said. “Despite our best efforts, we’re now facing another significant challenge. The financial strain from the building collapse and reopening has taken a toll on me. The debt incurred during this period has been difficult to manage, and it has put a lot of pressure on my family.”
The family of five is now unable to meet bill deadlines and keep up with the rising cost of living, listing visa fees, health insurance, legal fees, and other additional expenses that urgently need settlement.
Changes to UK immigration fees complicate the already difficult situation. Notably, The UK Immigration Health Surcharge increased to £1,035 per main applicant and to £776 for students and child applicants in February 2024 following proposals published in October last year.
“They’ve put up the immigration charges, health insurance used to be around £300 per year,” Bright said. “It’s gone all the way up to around £1,800 per person, per year. Think about me who’s got a family of five. If I add visa application fees and lawyer fees it brings everything to up to around £26k…At this stage we just don’t have the money.”
Before tragedy struck
But things weren’t always like this for Bright and Cynthia.
Before it became a physical restaurant, Taste Africana was ‘Home Food UK’, an online takeaway operating out of Cynthia and Bright’s home kitchen.
After arriving in the UK in 2018 on post-study visas, the couple had taken on paying jobs in the city. Cynthia, who was a maths teacher suggested the idea of venturing into the food sector when she was on maternity leave but resigned from her old job to chase the business full-time after realising the difficulty of running the business and working as a teaching assistant while looking after their children.
She started Home Food UK, and after it proved to be a big hit, her husband Bright quit his job with the NHS, to support Cynthia in running Taste Africana full-time. “We wanted to bring a new variety of delicious cuisine to the community, and the response was incredibly positive.”
But now the family are facing the possibility of leaving everything and their business after six years of trying to build and start over again, this time in Nigeria if they cannot meet the deadline.
“The idea that there is a possibility of being kicked out after six years of work has drained all the peace out of me. It takes a huge toll on you, honestly…In the worst-case scenario we will be asked to leave the UK. We’re going to be given 60 days to leave if we’re lucky” Bright said.
“Then, where do you start from? Flight tickets are so expensive. I’ve got a business that I’ve built here, we can’t sell that overnight.,,The reality kicked in when I realised I’ve got a little over two weeks left. Miracles can happen but I’ve tried everything within my capacity and I’m just stuck.”
“Help Us Keep Our Business & Our 3 Little Children in the UK”
To help with the fees, the Chinules went on the internet to solicit funds as a last resort. Bright created a GoFundMe to raise the £25,620 with hopes that his past generosity will pay forward. “I never thought I’d do this,” Bright wrote.
“As someone who has always tried to stand on my own, it’s not easy for me to ask for help. But with only 14 days left to secure the necessary funds, I’ve come to realize that I can’t do this alone.
“Over the years, I’ve tried to give back to the community in every way possible—offering hot meals to rough sleepers during the cold winter months, supporting struggling families with food donations, and more. And I promise to continue paying this kindness forward,” part of the GoFundMe read.
So far, the family has been able to raise £2,090 of the money and continues to ask for support while hoping for a favourable verdict from UK immigration.
