Restaurant loses licence after immigration raid

An Indian restaurant has had its licence to serve alcohol and stay open late revoked again, following arrests over alleged immigration offences.

Taste of Raj, on St Owen Street in Hereford, was visited by immigration enforcement officers from the Home Office last December.

Four Bangladeshi men were arrested at the restaurant during the multi-agency raid, two for overstaying their visa and two for breaching bail conditions.

A recent meeting of Herefordshire Council's licensing sub committee agreed that Taste of Raj's premises licence should be revoked.

The sub committee had previously revoked the restaurant's licence last July, after a raid in May found illegal workers.

But shortly after, a new premises licence was granted to Jamal Ali, enabling the restaurant to sell hot food until midnight and to sell alcohol between 17:00 and 23:30.

The sub committee had met to hear reviews of the licences of both Taste of Raj and neighbouring restaurant Jalsagor, which was also visited by immigration enforcement officers during the December raid.

Taste of Raj's premises licence holder was not present, and having submitted evidence in advance, "was content that the hearing continue in his absence", according to meeting minutes.

In the case of Jalsagor, whose premises licence was also suspended for three months in July, the sub committee agreed to adjourn the hearing until 18 February, "in order to provide sufficient time to compile and circulate evidence".

One man, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested on suspicion of immigration offences at the restaurant in December, the Home Office said.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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