A YORK businessman has fought back after spending two years on unemployment benefits to reopen his Indian takeaway.

Father-of-four Ala Uddin, 46, of Sixth Avenue, ran A Taste of India, in James Street, York, for eight years, but when his lease expired, the building was subsequently demolished to make way for a car park.

Mr Uddin, who is originally from Bangladesh, and has lived in York for 23 years, said that being unemployed for so long was a terrible experience, but it made him more determined to successfully reopen his business in a new location.

He has now taken over a former barber shop in Tang Hall Lane and opened the takeaway under the same name - and already he says his former customers are flocking back.

Mr Uddin said: "It's taken me two years to get back, it's been hard to find a place in this area and then to get planning permission.

"It was terrible to be unemployed, it was the worst time and it was so hard to find a job, so frustrating.

"I thought I had lost everything, I have four kids and a wife and I was on benefits.

"I tried to find all kinds of jobs and I tried to get a taxi driving licence. It was the longest time I have been without a job."

Mr Uddin said he did not consider moving to another city in search of work. He said: "I love this city and I like the people.

"After this struggle I feel so good because most of my ex-customers are coming back.

"As soon as they saw the name they realised it could be me.

"That's such a nice feeling."

Updated: 15:02 Wednesday, March 13, 2002