An Indian restaurant in Barrow that previously had its licence revoked following immigration raids has been allowed to sell alcohol after a change in management.
This week, members of the licensing sub-committee for Westmorland and Furness Council granted a premises licence to Taj Mahal on Cavendish Street after the restaurant had it revoked in May.
The restaurant will be allowed to sell alcohol from 10am to 11.30pm each day and will close at midnight.
Applicant Fahmida Shamim initially applied for a premises licence which included the sale of alcohol and the playing of music from 10am until 3am every day.
However following objections from Cumbria Constabulary and the director of public health at Westmorland and Furness Council in the consultation period this was amended. Cumbria Constabulary subsequently dropped its objections.
The restaurant was visited by the Home Office in April 2023 and October 2022 as enforcement officers suspected that people were there without a right to work.
From the October raid the Home Office said it resulted in the arrest of two Afghan men and one Bangladeshi. On April 20, a Bangladeshi man was arrested on suspicion of working illegally.
The restaurant faced a fine of £10,000 over the arrest from the April raid and £30,000 in the October raid, according to the Home Office. In May the premises license was revoked.
In response to the initial application, the director of public health at Westmorland and Furness Council said: “The applicant has made no acknowledgement in the application as to the fact that the premises licence was previously revoked, nor is there any indication of how previous issues of illegal working at the premises will be overcome.”
Since then, the applicant has proposed additional conditions relating to the storage of right to work documents and additional checks on workers through an independent private business.
Frank Fender, a licensing consultant from FJF Licensing Solutions, on behalf of the applicant, added: “As we know the magistrates issued an illegal working compliance order in respect to the premises in April 2023.
“The compliance order placed strict obligations on the premises in respect of right to work checks.
“Since that time in April last year Fahmida has taken responsibility for running the premises and has ensured the requirements of the compliance order were met.”
Mr Fender told the committee that since the compliance order was issued the Immigration Service made two further unannounced visits to the premises and on both occasions inspected right to work documents and were satisfied requirements were being met.
Ms Shamim also said in the application that CCTV will be installed and customers will not be allowed to take opened bottles of alcohol off the premises.
She added a challenge 25 system will be used and staff will be trained to prevent the sale of alcohol to under-18s.
