A TASTE of Turkey is now available in Dunfermline with the opening of a new restaurant.

Businessman Nihat Oymak, who also owns Ace Alterations in East Port, has opened Antioch restaurant in Bridge Street.

Creating seven jobs, the new 50-seater eatery prides itself in offering authentic Turkish cuisine.

Although admitting the business is different from his tailoring business, Nihat said the new venture was something which carried on a family tradition.

“It has been a family business since 1950,” he explained.

“My dad and my two uncles started in Turkey and it was a small but very busy restaurant in Antioch. Then my dad opened his own restaurant in Antioch in 1972 and the capacity was 400 people.

"We are all well experienced with managing restaurants and it was always in my mind to have a restaurant in Dunfermline.”

Antioch opened earlier this month and this week secured an alcohol license from Fife Council which means they are now able to serve alcohol along with the food. 

He is hoping that the restaurant will help revitalise the bottom end of the High Street and Bridge Street which, he says, is in much need of support.

“The area is suffering and needs someone being brave and spending about £150,000 to £160,000,” he said.

“Opening something is a big, brave decision but I trust myself with the job we do and I know we will do good business in there.

"The quality is absolutely amazing. We have spent good money from the seating area to the kitchen and the toilets.”

Nihat is also a director of Dunfermline Delivers and believes hard work is needed to attract more people into Dunfermline.

“I know the suffering we are having. We have Duloch Park, Dalgety Bay and these people hardly come into Dunfermline.

"With its population, Dunfermline should be flying in the sky but unfortunately people aren’t coming.

“There are parking problems and things like that and we need to catch these people and let them see what Dunfermline has.

"The council needs to do something to help people and to help businesses.”