Restaurant offers Christmas meals for homeless

A restaurant which provided 500 free meals for people in need last Christmas is to repeat its offer.

Middle Feast, based on Lendal in York, was praised in his Christmas message by the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell as “a wonderful example to us all".

The restaurant said its meals are primarily aimed at people who are homeless or who are refugees but said nobody in need would be turned away.

Owner Wael Garas said they would also extend the offer of a free Christmas dinner to those working for the emergency services and NHS staff.

“Lots of people are working on Christmas day, it’s important they get food too," owner Wael Garas said.

“For Christmas day everybody should be happy, and I want to see people smile. I do it to do something nice for people."

Mr Garas said the restaurant would be serving meals between 12:00 and 14:00 GMT on 25 December as they had last year.

He said everyone was welcome to join them.

“If you need food the door is open for you," he said.

“I won’t stop anybody from coming in, I won’t ask any questions. I will not close the door on anyone.”

Mr Garas said he did not ask anyone for any contribution or donation.

“I’m not looking for anything in return, I just do it from my heart," he said.

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