Kebab farce: The Peckham kebab shop Jacqui Smith visited - at teatime, with a bodyguard - News

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Yet last Wednesday, the Home Secretary was to be seen there ploughing through £3.90-worth of doner kebab - pressed lamb sliced off a revolving spit.

Ender Ginel, 44, is the Turkish owner of the compact, plastic-flower-festooned establishment in Peckham Hill Street.

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No dodgy doners here: Baris Koca wields the knife at his uncle Ender's kebab shop

He said he did not think Miss Smith had been before.

"She came in during the early evening. We were a bit busy so I can't remember the exact time, but it was just turning dark.

Famous customer: Home Secretary Jacqui Smith

"There was someone with her, a man with broad shoulders.

"She didn't say she was the Home Secretary, but she did ask questions about Peckham.

"She asked was it a dangerous place, or did we get any trouble around the area.

"We told her the only time we get trouble is with youths who come in and think they are gangsters.

"They shout in the shop and treat girls badly, but we tell them to get out.

"When we have special customers in here like families we just chuck the troublemakers out.

"And if we see customers getting hassled by people after they have left the shop we try to help them.

"Jacqui Smith didn't have any problems in here."

Mr Ginel could not remember whether Miss Smith's bodyguard also sampled the fare, or whether he was forced to watch his VIP charge munching through her selection (she decided not to bother with any chips).

Katie's Kebabs has been open for 12 years, Mr Ginel says there is no Katie, he just liked the sound of the name.

His nephew and assistant, Baris Koca, 17, was also in the shop when Miss Smith visited.

He said: "She just sat here and ate her kebab. We didn't treat her any differently from anyone else.

"We have lots of customers who come here from London Bridge and other places. We try to give them good service to make people like Peckham."