RESTAURANT COULD BE SHUT DOWN AFTER RAIDS FOUND ILLEGAL WORKERS 3 TIMES
Man climbed onto roof to try to evade immigration officers
A POPULAR Grimsby restaurant could close if it has its premises licence revoked after again being found to have employed workers illegally. Members of North East Lincolnshire Council’s licensing sub-committee will review the licence in place at The Spice of Life on Wellowgate, as requested by Home Office Immigration enforcement and Humberside Police.
It comes after immigration officials raided the restaurant after acting on intelligence it was employing at least three illegal workers in the kitchen. The intelligence also suggested the workers were living in the flat above and had been instructed to hide if immigration were ever to visit. During the raid, one of the two men arrested at the scene tried to evade capture by climbing out of a window and on to the roof of the building.
One of immigration officers says in a report to the committee: “They eventually agreed to re-enter the building and we helped them back through the window. He was visibly shaken and cried for some time before calming down.” Officers descended on the premises at 6.47pm on Friday, August 23, 2019 but details of the raid have only now been made public. Mohammed Abdul Salique and Abdul Somir are the licence holders for the premises which has been a popular restaurant in Grimsby for more than 40 years.
The restaurant could now close as Home Office Immigration Enforcement say the licence holders are not promoting the licensing objective to prevent crime and disorder.
The premises have been visited on five previous occasions by Immigration. During visits in 2012 and 2015, individuals were also encountered working illegally and were arrested. A report states: “One of the illegal workers confirmed that the manager, who was consistently described by workers at the premises as the son of the owner, paid him in cash for his work. The other illegal worker confirmed he was sometimes given money. Both confirmed that they had never been asked to provide evidence that they were allowed to work in the UK by the manager or anyone else at the premises.”
A civil penalty of £30,000 was issued in relation to illegal workers being found at the premises back in 2015. The penalty was higher than the normal £10,000 per worker due to the lack of co-operation received by immigration officers.
The penalty remains unpaid despite there being no objections or appeals. An application has also been made by Mohammed Abdul Salique and Abdul Somir to transfer the premises licence to Tale and Spirit Group Ltd - the current premises licence holder for Arthurs House, Gin Kitchen and Cocktail Lounge in Cleethorpes.
It has been objected to by Humberside Police’s Chief Constable, Lee Freeman, who says the designated premises supervisor for Tale and Spirit Group is the son of Mr Salique.
Alison Saxby, licensing officer at Humberside Police, on behalf of the chief constable said: “It is not believed that this is an independent party coming in to run the premises and may still be subjected to the criminality that is lined to the premises.
“Given the repeated criminality regarding illegal workers at the premises, Humberside Police will not consider any application from any party with a link to to the current premises licence holders, Mr Salique or Mr Somir.”
A hearing will be held on January 19 between 9.30am and 11.30am when members of the licensing sub-committee will meet to review the licence. Councillors have a duty to promote licensing objectives and have a range of measures at their disposal to encourage licence holders to keep to the rules. They can remove the designated premises supervisor or revoke the licence or amend it with new conditions.
Each measure can be temporary for up to three months.