Midleton business owner: Help after floods show spirit of community

GUSTA Pizza-Grill is a place that has been serving on the same street in Midleton for 14 years.

The owner, Alex Sahin, is a Kurdish person who immigrated from Turkey a long time ago, and has been living in Ireland for over 20 years.

Alex is someone who has overcome great difficulties and his business is still operating today, thanks to the mobilisation and strong solidarity of the public, most recently due to the floods in Midleton.

Perhaps the most crucial part of this story may be Ireland’s unfailing spirit of solidarity and the flavour that Alex and his staff brought to Midleton with their hard work.

Q: The previous name of your business was Anatolia Kebab, now it is Gusta Pizza-Grill. How many years have you been serving Midleton?

A: We have been serving on Connolly Street for 14 years, that is, since 2010. As you will appreciate, we encountered various difficulties at first and served people with a slightly more amateur spirit. I can say that our old name, Anatolia, symbolises these first steps a little more. After taking the name Gusta, we switched to a more professional menu, and started thinking about how we could provide better and higher quality service to the people of Midleton. We have a master in our kitchen who knows his job really well, and people can eat really delicious products.

I think our customers understand the balance of taste, quality and speed.

You also know that as the speed increases, the quality actually starts to decrease at certain rates. We call this fast eating culture anyway. However, here we try to maintain both speed and keep the taste and quality at the highest level as possible. This is a really labor-intensive, stressful job. I think our customers understand the balance of taste quality and speed. We have a good customer base and we always do our best to make them happy.

Q: You are a night business, and working at night usually involves some difficulties. What are the difficulties of this job?

A: The challenges are undoubtedly diverse, because if you serve people, you know very well that people have unpredictable aspects. You can see serious changes in people’s behaviour, especially when day turns into night.

However, the spirit and solidarity of the people of Midleton is very high, and thanks to their co-operation, it makes our job a lot easier.

So, when we encounter a difficulty, we establish good communication with our customers and can overcome that problem as quickly as possible.

Q: There has been major flooding in Midleton and your business has been directly affected. Was the aid provided by the Government sufficient? Did you encounter any bureaucratic obstacles or problems regarding the aid?

A: Of course, there were various disruptions, because what we encountered shocked everyone and all other local business.

Despite this, there was a quick reaction in terms of aid and we were able to overcome this devastation quickly, especially thanks to the solidarity of the people of Midleton.

Everyone, young and old, who took a shovel in their hands, made a very intense effort to get the town back on its feet. I really want to thank all my Irish friends who stopped by our business and asked if we needed anything and any help. We need to focus on remembering that we are a society able to unite in times of difficulties. I saw and experienced this spirit of Midleton and people of east Cork. This really gives people great courage.

So, I think supporting a person you don’t know without expecting anything in return is what makes a person human. Yes, we experienced a great disaster, but this reminded us that Ireland has a strong social structure.

Q: Immigrants have been the most discussed issue, not only in Ireland but also in European politics for a while. How do you evaluate the public debate on immigration and have you encountered any difficulties, if any, due to this political tension?

A: I have personally never encountered direct racism in Ireland. On the contrary, the Irish people are very friendly and even their behaviour is very different compared to most European countries and people. You do not encounter the hatred here that you would see in continental Europe. Of course, this does not mean people do not have experiences that they should not. I say this because I am talking about myself as a person. Frankly, I think that the positive experiences I have had are very related to historical processes. Ireland is a country founded with great sacrifice and poverty. The immigration experience of the Irish people is far greater then any other nation in the world, this is a legacy that increases people’s sense of empathy, and I attach great importance to this legacy. Of course, when we consider global crises, climate crisis and wars, it seems that mass migration is an issue that we need to talk about, and think about more in the future.

Politics is the single most effective tool to solve these problems. I believe everyone who has a citizenship bond with Ireland should be sensitive to the problems of this country.

In this sense, it is very important for everyone who is an Irish citizen, regardless of where they come from, to be involved in politics. If I need to take responsibility in this sense in the future, I am thinking of getting involved in politics and taking this responsibility.

Let’s remember what happened during the flood disaster. Everyone living in Midleton came together as one and was doing their best to heal the wounds of our beautiful town. We should never forget this fact that makes us who we are. We can solve our problems, not with hatred, but with more solidarity, respect and love. Ireland has such a spirit.

Q: What message would you like to give to those who know you and your customers?

We are the sponsor of the youth rugby team. We fulfill our responsibility and do our best to make Midleton a more beautiful and happy place. We will always do our best to give something back to the community that has supported us over the years. We work hard for this with all my employees. We are equally happy when we see a smile on someone’s face as they leave Gusta Pizza-Grill. Also, if you happen to be in Midleton one day, don’t forget to call in to say ‘hi’. I have spent years in this beautiful town, I will always be greatful and thankful to the people of Midleton and east Cork for their continued support and loyalty.