Indian restaurant boss hits out as Home Office seeks to have licence revoked

The boss of a long-established Indian restaurant in Blackpool says tough rules on immigrants being allowed to work are forcing decent eateries to close.

Iqbal Nooree, boss of Akash restaurant on Topping Street, hit out as the restaurant faced having its license revoked and forking out a huge £80,000 penalty after being accused of illegal working practices by the Home Office.

The Government department Home is requesting that Blackpool’s licensing committee considers revoking Akash’s premises license after assertions that two men were working there illegally.

The review is due to be held at a meeting of the licensing panel on Monday June 8.

The Home Office stated in its application papers: “We have grounds to believe the license holder has failed to meet the licensing objectives of prevention of crime and disorder, as illegal working has been identified at this premises.

“Home Office (Immigration Enforcement) is permitted to make relevant representations and objections to the grant of a licence or request a review of an existing licence as a responsible authority, where there is concern that a licence and related licensable activity is prejudicial to the prevention of immigration crime including illegal working .”

The statement says that on July 25 2025, the North West Immigration Compliance Enforcement (ICE) team visited Akash, located at its premises at 76 Topping Street.

The Home Office says entry was gained to the premises under Section 179 Licensing Act 2003. Officers encountered two males who were working in breach of their conditions or restrictions.

It says  that during the visit, the team encountered a man who had been working as a chef at the restaurant for two years and was paid ‘cash in hand’.

The other man was seen serving customers behind the bar and he said he had worked there for one and half years as an assistant manager.

The statement adds: “The licence holder would have been aware of his responsibilities to uphold the licensing objectives as they are clearly defined as part of the premises licence application.

“Immigration Enforcement asks that the premises licence is revoked.

“Merely remedying the existing situation (for instance by the imposition of additional conditions or a suspension) is insufficient to act as a deterrent to the licence holder and other premises’ licence holders from employing illegal workers and facilitating disqualified immigrants to work illegally.”

A civil penalty of £80,000 was issued to Akash Tandoori Blackpool Limited on September 9 2025. Akash Tandoori Blackpool Limited objected to the penalty which was considered and on October 9 2025 it was decided to maintain the penalty at £80,000.

Akash Tandoori Blackpool Limited has lodged an appeal against the penalty which is ongoing (no date has been set yet).

 Mr Noree said; “One of these men has been living here 20 years and has a wife and children here, but he doesn’t fit some of the rules they have got.

“I am fighting this because as far as I am concerned I have done everything needed.

“It annoys me because the Government would rather stick people in a hotel and pay them not to work, instead of them learning a trade, doing something useful and paying their own way.

“Indian restaurants are already closing up and in 10 years time there will hardly be any left because young people won’t want all the hassle.

“I have my legal team ready and we are going to challenge this.”