Illegal workers leads to takeaway losing licence

The business has been fined £80,000

A takeaway has had its licence revoked after three people were found to be working there illegally.

Deluxe Pizza in Bridgwater, Somerset, was visited by Home Office immigration officials in November 2024 after an allegation that the business owner was employing illegal workers.

They fined the business £80,000 after they found three staff members did not have the right to work in the UK.

Somerset Council has now stripped the takeaway of its premises licence, meaning the business will have to close unless it successfully appeals the decision before the end of the month.

Two of the workers were from Afghanistan and both arrived on a small boat.

One of them told officials: "I'm paid in food, not money. I'm not allowed to work officially, so they give me food instead."

A third worker, from Iraq, was escorted off the premises after it was found that he was only 17.

Councillor Marcus Kravis said: "Employing illegal workers, as a breach of licensing rules goes, is probably one of the most serious things you can do."

Somerset Council agreed to revoke the licence at a recent meeting

Deluxe Pizza is the second Bridgwater restaurant to be targeted by the Home Office in the last 12 months, following action taken against the Spice Club restaurant in Eastover earlier this year.

Deluxe Pizza has until September 26 to make an appeal against the decision with Taunton Magistrates' Court.