Kettering curry house could lose its licence

A popular Kettering curry house could be stripped of its alcohol licence after an immigration raid last year.

Five illegal Bangladeshi workers were found in the Red Rose in George Street when immigration officers visited on October 31.

There may have been a sixth as another employee told officers he was "going to get the key" to lock the premises before making an escape. It's believed he may have given a false identity.

The only worker on the premises entitled to work was manager Sonour Ali.

The restaurant temporarily closed before re-opening in November but now the Home Office are calling for it to lose its licence to prevent crime and disorder.

In their formal request to Kettering Council, the Home Office said: "Sonour Ali was totally uncooperative in the interview regarding the right to work of his staff and would give no information to immigration officers when interviewed.

"We hope the information above is sufficient to initiate a review of their alcohol licence.

"We would like to think that, due to the serious and complete disregard of immigration law and their obligations in holding an alcohol licence, that it would be proportionate and appropriate to request a revocation of the alcohol licence issued to the Red Rose."

Three of the men had overstayed their visas and two had entered the UK illegally.

Two of the men who had overstayed their visas, a 35-year-old and a 39-year-old, were detained to be deported.

The third man who had overstayed his visa, aged 38, was told he must report regularly to immigration enforcement while his case is progressed.

The two men who had entered the UK illegally, aged 43 and 47, were also told they had to regularly immigration enforcement while their cases are progressed.

The owners of Red Rose were also told they could be fined a maximum of £100,000 if they couldn't prove they carried out the correct right-to-work document checks.

Anyone wanting to make a representation about the review - which will be decided by Kettering Council's licensing committee at a later date - should contact [email protected] by March 4.