The worker, a kitchen porter at Lebanese Taverna Express, said he had been hired with no employment checks carried out
A West London Lebanese restaurant has had its licence suspended for a month after an illegal worker was caught by Government officers.
The worker, a kitchen porter at Lebanese Taverna Express on Fulham Palace Road in Hammersmith, told officers he had been hired with no employment checks carried out.
The Home Office Immigration Enforcement Team had applied to Hammersmith and Fulham Council seeking revocation of the licence, with the matter initially due to be heard in front of the Licensing Sub-Committee in early September. The item was however adjourned due to the licence recently changing hands.
At a sub-committee meeting this week members decided against full revocation and instead went with the one-month suspension, plus a host of further conditions.
According to documents the Central London Immigration Compliance and Enforcement team visited the premises on September 18 2025, where they encountered one illegal worker. Documents reveal the man had entered the country in March 2022 via a small boat from France.
He made a claim for protection, though this was withdrawn due to non-compliance. His bail conditions did not allow him to work, though he confirmed to officers he had been hired as a kitchen porter two months prior to the visit, doing a total of 15 hours weekly.
The former licence holder, Shakeeb Mohamed Ayash, said he had not conducted any pre-employment checks, and that the worker had shown false documentation to his boss.
“Whether by negligence or wilful blindness illegal workers were engaged in activity on the premises, yet it is a simple process for an employer to ascertain what documents they should check before a person can work,” the Home Office report states.
“It is an offence to work when a person is disqualified to do so, and such an offence can only be committed with the co-operation of a premises licence holder or its agents. It is also an offence to employ an illegal worker where there is reason to believe this is the case.”
The illegal worker said they were being paid £9.50 an hour, below the minimum wage of £12.21, and that sometimes this was given in cash.
A penalty had been issued to the company Moezali Ltd, of £40,000, which ran the premises, though this is yet to be resolved.
The adjournment to the meeting on September 9 was approved after the current licence holder, Yousef Aga, who had taken on the business on August 21, emailed the authority requesting a delay.
Speaking at Wednesday night’s meeting, Alexandra Romano, a Home Office Licensing Compliance Officer, said revocation of the licence remained their request, despite the change in licence holder.
She told members: “The central point is that this review was never simply about the presence of one illegal worker but what the evidence revealed about the operation of the business. Mr Ayash accepted responsibility for recruitment, staffing and payment of workers. He also accepted that no pre-employment right to work checks had been conducted. That admission is significant.”
She said the Home Office does not always suggest revocation when an illegal worker is encountered but that in this case failings could not only be attributed to the current premises licence holder.
Ms Romano said she had not seen any credible evidence suggesting there had been a “material and effective change” since Mr Aga had taken over.
Saima Rizvi, a friend of Mr Aga speaking on his behalf who is also involved with the business, said the team fully recognise the seriousness of the allegation.
She continued: “The conduct relied upon relates to a period before Mr Aga became the premises licence holder. The licence was transferred to him on August 21 2026. Our submission is therefore that the committee should distinguish the historic circumstances from the position that exists at the premises today.”
Ms Rizvi said revocation was “unnecessary”, and that steps had been taken to ensure future compliance.
Cllr Wesley Harcourt asked why a suspension was not deemed appropriate in this instance.
Ms Romano said this would “push the problem further down the line”, and that she remained concerned about the lack of evidence indicating the premises will be compliant moving forward.
“If there was credible evidence provided today then maybe I would be more convinced…but it’s all well and good saying these things will be implemented, but we need credible evidence. There’s nothing today that supports that.”
Ms Rizvi said she was not asked to provide any evidence ahead of the hearing, adding she is not familiar with “the daunting process of licensing”.
She said the team welcomes checks from the responsible authorities and is willing to supply any documents requested.
Ms Romano confirmed she had not asked for any evidence directly, though said it would have been incumbent on the licence holder to provide any relevant information to support their case rather than the Home Office chasing.
In closing Ms Romano repeated her concerns about the absence of “credible evidence”, noting she was still unaware of exactly how matters such as recruitment and training were to be managed.
Members agreed to suspend the licence for a month rather than revoke, with a visit scheduled by the licensing authority in two months.
Mr Ayash is also not to be employed at the premises in any capacity, with an online compliance system to be implemented and records to be kept showing right to work checks are completed.
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