Wellingborough restaurant that employed illegal workers allowed to stay open
A Wellingborough restaurant, which was found to have employed two illegal workers after an immigration probe in 2025, will be allowed to stay open after the Home Office requested a review of its licence.
Zara Turkish Restaurant, also known as Zara Kitchen, at 43 Cambridge Street, was visited by immigration enforcement in February last year following a tip-off that the business owner was employing staff who did not have the right to work.
A licence review for the restaurant was undertaken by North Northamptonshire Council (NNC) last week in response to concerns over the prevention of crime and disorder.
The committee acknowledged the seriousness of the events and the Home Office’s concerns, but ultimately decided not to revoke or suspend the restaurant’s licence, meaning it can continue to trade as normal.
The Turkish restaurant currently has a licence for selling alcohol on and off the premises between 10am to midnight Monday to Saturday, and midday to 11.30pm on Sundays.
Zara Kitchen has said that, since the East of England Immigration Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) visit, it has introduced clear compliance systems, including mandatory right-to-work checks, training on licensing and employment laws, and standardised record-keeping for employee details, working hours and payments.
The licensing panel, which met on January 15, also noted other actions taken since the incident, including the dissolution of the original business operated by Adil Kaya, the creation of the new company by Dogancan Kaya, and a request to change the premises trading name from Zara Turkish Restaurant to Zara Kitchen.
The previous Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS), who is the person responsible for the day-to-day running of any business selling alcohol, for the restaurant was also removed and a new supervisor, Meymune Belliki, was appointed.
A spokesman for the Zara Kitchen previously said the recent changes to the licence and running of the restaurant had been made to ‘strengthen the operating framework of the business’ and ensure that it ‘meets the standards expected by the responsible authorities’.
North Northamptonshire Council also imposed further conditions on the Turkish restaurant for it to keep its premises licence and continue to trade as usual. The business now must operate a Challenge 25 policy and it also adds that the previous DPS, Adil Kaya, cannot be involved in the management and operation of the premises.