A west London shop has lost its license after it was found to employ an illegal worker who was being paid in food.
JK Off License, on Ruislip Road in Greenford, Ealing, was caught employing one staff member who did not have the right to work in the UK following an immigration raid. It was the second time in just over a year that illegal workers had been found at the shop.
Immigration Enforcement officers visited the shop on July 26 2023 and found that a male individual was working illegally, without a right to live or work in the UK.
In December 2024, under its current owners, offices found a woman working illegally.
During her interviews with the Home Office, she told officers that she worked around 40 to 45 hours per week, and was paid £9 per hour, which was below the £11.44 minimum wage.
However, at an Ealing Council licensing subcommittee hearing on Wednesday, Mr Rahul Kumar, the shop owner, told councillors that she was paid in food.
Cllr Jon Ball asked Mr Kumar: “In the evidence that was before us from Immigration… it said you were paying the employee £9 per hour, is that correct?”. Mr Kumar responded: “No, that is not correct no.”
Cllr Ball then asked him to clarify how much he was paying the illegal worker, to which Mr Kumar said: “I didn’t pay anything, I just help out with the food, that’s it. I didn’t pay anything to her.”
He later added: “She came into the shop and asked for work, I said can you provide me with documents… but she didn’t provide, so when I need some help she came for help, she didn’t come for work.”
Mr Kumar said that he had been asking the individual for her documents to prove her right to work, however she repeatedly delayed providing them – this continued for three months. He said: “Everytime I asked her for documents she said today or tomorrow, today or tomorrow… so she didn’t give me the documents.”
During the meeting, Mr Kumar’s son clarified that Mr Kumar did not own the shop until mid-2024, and was therefore not responsible for the illegal working found in 2023. However, the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) had remained unchanged in the period in which Mr Kumar took over.
Mr Kumar made clear he was not aware of the previous case. He stated that this was an oversight and a genuine mistake which he apologised for.
Cllr Nagpal then asked Mr Kumar how he knows the DPS, Mrs Kalvant Kaur Aujla, to which he said he has no relation and does not know her. A DPS is a staff member who is responsible for the sale of licensed products and must be in the shop frequently. Mr Kumar then went on to say Mrs Aujla has not worked on the premises since he took over.
Mr Kumar was fined £10,000 by the Home Office, however he only had to pay £7,000 as he made the payment swiftly after being served the fine. The shop will no longer be able to sell alcohol, cigarettes or vapes as it has lost its license.
It is the second time in six weeks that an illegal worker was found to be paid in food in Ealing.
In Hanwell, four staff members at Nepal Authentic Dining were also found to be illegal workers with one paid in food – however it was allowed to remain open.
