An Indian and Nepalese restaurant has opened in Willesden with all of its profits going to charities in Nepal while building young people’s entrepreneur skills in the capital.

Narayan Shrestha, owner of 33, in High Road, originally planned to give 33 per cent of his profits to UK and Nepalese charities but has increased it to 100 per cent following the devastating earthquake in the country on April 25.

Mr Shrestha, 34, originally from Kathmandu, said all his family were safe but the orphanage to which he was donating money had been destroyed.

He said: “My family and friends are ok but other Nepalese people have been badly affected which is why I’m putting up the donation to 100 per cent at the moment.”

Mr Shrestha, who has lived in the UK for 13 years, got the idea for his “social business” while doing a masters degree at UCL.

He opened his restaurant, called Purple Taj under previous owners, last December, initially offering Indian food until he can get a Nepalese chef and expand his menu.

He added: “I come from an IT background and saw that nearly all the charities were donating food to schools and orphanages. Instead of giving them food why not give them IT, then at least with IT they can get a job and in that way build up Nepal socially and economically as well, then they don’t have to rely on donations.”

He is also in touch with the College of North West London, with campuses in Dudden Hill Lane, Willesden and North End Road, Wembley, as he wants to help disadvantaged young people to build their own business, using his shop as a base.

“It’s not an apprenticeship; it’s an entrepreneurship so they are their own boss,” he explained adding: “This is the first kind of restaurant like this anywhere in the world – first Indian and Nepalese restaurant not only giving its profit to charities but also using its space to build entrepreneur skills here in the UK.”