Former champion boxer opens new Indian restaurant

Former boxing champion Nick Blackwell, along with Bradford on Avon Mayor Katie Vigar, cut the tape to officially open the River Spice Indian Restaurant with the five brothers who comprise the Rahman family. (Image: Trevor Porter 70543-7)

Former champion boxer Nick Blackwell has opened a new Indian restaurant in Bradford on Avon for a band of brothers.

Nick, 33, from Trowbridge, joined Bradford on Avon mayor, Cllr Katie Vigar, to officially open the River Spice restaurant and takeaway in Bridge Yard.

The opening of River Spice followed the closure of the former Avon Spice takeaway in Silver Street, Bradford on Avon.

The new restaurant is being run by Michael Rahman, who is the eldest of five brothers who arrived in the UK as refugees from Bangladesh in 1995 with their mother after their father died.

They have since opened five restaurants across Wiltshire, with the latest being River Spice Indian Restaurant in Bradford on Avon on Monday, January 29.

The others include the Tale of Spice Indian restaurants in Chippenham, Pewsey and Trowbridge, the Eastern Paradise in Westbury and Naga’s – the Spice Minister in Warminster.

The other four brothers are Rasal, Litton, Shippon and Ripon. The restaurants are all managed by members of their extended family.

Mr Rahman said: “We are very pleased to have opened River Spice. It’s going very well and we were very busy last week.”

Wiltshire Times: Paul Williams gave a speech outlining the brothers’ success with their Indian restaurant chain. Photo: Trevor Porter 70543-3

Paul Williams gave a speech outlining the brothers’ success with their Indian restaurant chain. Photo: Trevor Porter 70543-3 (Image: Trevor Porter)

Tale of Spice customer Paul Williams said: “Behind this new restaurant is the story of five brothers who came here from Bangladesh in the 1900s with their mother after their father had died.

“He had at one time been a businessman in the UK and gained British citizenship.

“The brothers dispersed throughout the country in various jobs until they had gained enough money to open a restaurant. This was the Tale of Spice in Trowbridge which opened in 2000.

“Now the brothers, with their extended family network, have contributed to the economy, the social life and community of Wiltshire.”

Nick competed as a professional boxer from 2009 to 2016 and won the English middleweight title in 2010, at the age of 20, becoming the youngest boxer to do so.

In 2011 and 2012 he challenged for the Commonwealth middleweight title and won the British middleweight title in 2015.

He retired from the sport in April 2016 due to a brain injury incurred during a fight with Chris Eubank Jnr on March 26 2016 in his third title defence. The fight was stopped in the 10th round due to a swelling over his left eye obscuring his vision.

After the fight ended, Nick collapsed and was put into an induced coma before spending weeks in hospital.