A York restaurant owner has spoken out after a Home Office bid to revoke his venue’s licence was dropped.
Akwan Irani, the owner of Turkish restaurant Yakamoz, said he was not responsible for the actions of its previous owner who was fined £45,000 for employing an illegal worker.
The restauranteur added 12 of his staff would have lost their jobs if the Home Office’s bid to strip the Goodramgate premises of its licence had gone ahead.
Richard Garbutt, of the Home Office’s Immigration, Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) department, said they recognised Mr Irani had not been involved with the business during their raid last year.
It comes as a York Council Licensing Hearing approved the Government department’s bid to add conditions to the restaurant’s licence after dropping its application to revoke it.
The hearing on October 16 approved changes which mean the business is now required to carry out right to work checks on all potential employees.
It must also keep documents obtained through the checks for inspection and be able to promptly produce them if requested.
Friday’s hearing followed a raid by ICE officers at Yakamoz in September last year which found a man working there illegally.
Checks found he had entered the UK illegally in 2023 and had never had any legal right to work in the country.
The restaurant’s previous operator Yakamoz York Ltd went into liquidation in July, owing £60,911 according to Companies House, including the £45,000 fine issued by the Home Office which remains unpaid.
Current owner Mr Irani said the prospect of losing the licence had made his staff uncomfortable and caused customers to question whether it was staying open.
The restauranteur told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS): “When we received the letter about the hearing it was really embarrassing, I consider myself professional.
“I felt very relieved and happy with the decision which recognised it had nothing to do with me.
“The place has changed completely since we took over, we check all our workers and keep all the records we need to.
“We’re law-abiding people so we take this very seriously.”
Home Office official Mr Garbutt said the use of illegal workers was a key driver of illegal migration, undercut legitimate businesses and was often linked to other labour abuses.
But he added they did not want to attribute historical failings at a business to someone with no responsibility for them.
Usama Patel, Mr Irani’s lawyer, told councillors Yakamoz’s current owner formally assumed control of the business in June and ran it in full compliance with employment law.
He added he was happy to accept the Home Office conditions to provide a positive environment for staff and service for the community.