A popular restaurant which had its licence to sell alcohol revoked over concerns about illegal workers has had a bid for a new licence rejected.
Lebaneat, in North Bailey, Durham , had applied for a fresh Premises Licence in the name of Pierre Chidiac, who told members of Durham County Council had acquired a 51% of the business.
But on Friday the council's statutory licensing sub-committee, it was decided there was not enough evidence to show the current licence holder, Ahmed Syed, who is in the process of appealing February's decision to revoke his licence to sell alcohol, had pulled back from overseeing day-to-day operations.
Councillor Jan Blakey, committee chair, said: "We've had a very long discussion about how we've come to the decision we've made and we've decided to refuse the application.
"We've got no positive documentation other than the Companies House paperwork on how it is going to be run and we have concerns over the history of the illegal immigrants at the Lebaneat premises.
"We have concerns over Mr Sayed and his influence on this business and that the crime and disorder objectives won't be protected."
