Fresh Pom, a pomegranate juice shop in Kilburn, London, has said it is speaking to lawyers after being accused of being a tax scam by GB News presenter Patrick Christys. The shop, which stands out among off-licences and second-hand furniture shops on Kilburn High Road, has seen a surge in customers following the comments.
Owners Bewildered by Accusation
Jaffer Al-Fadhli and his brother Nasar, the owners of Fresh Pom, were shown a video from Christys' podcast The Echo Uncensored in which he suggested the shop was a tax scam. Christys said: 'Drive down Kilburn High Road and you just look at the different shops that are on offer there. Why are they not getting knocks on the door from HMRC and the Inland Revenue? There's a shop in the London area, right, that only sells pomegranates. That's all it is. You go into the shop and there's just a wall of pomegranates behind you, and they just sell pomegranate juice, and that is a large premises in London, supposedly paying London business rates. If you ever want to go and look at what a scam looks like, go to places like that.'
Reality of the Business
In reality, Fresh Pom has two branches in Kilburn and Birmingham, with a third on the way. Before opening, the Al-Fadhli brothers spent months sourcing the perfect pomegranates to ensure they were neither too sweet nor too bitter, and perfected the blending process. Jaffer, 27, told Metro: 'We know exactly what we are doing and we do everything the correct way. I would love for Mr Christys to come chat with our accountant, and our lawyer.'
Sales Boost from Controversy
Christys' comments have inadvertently boosted sales, with customers defending the shop in comment sections. Jaffer said: 'I should thank him, because after the video, we got busier than ever. Hopefully he makes another one ahead of the opening of our third store.' Metro has contacted GB News for comment.
