A restaurant in Central London is facing the threat of closure after it was discovered that it employed an illegal worker. Sadaf Restaurant, located on Westbourne Grove in Bayswater, has been reported for hiring a foreign student who lacked the legal right to work, according to a document submitted to Westminster City Council.
Immigration Enforcement officials conducted a raid on the Persian restaurant in April 2025, following a tip-off that the owners were employing illegal workers to pay them lower wages and evade taxes. As a result of this incident, Sadaf is currently undergoing a review of its operating license, which could lead to its revocation or the imposition of additional conditions.
Details of the Raid and Findings
During the enforcement visit, immigration officers, accompanied by representatives from Westminster City Council, discovered three employees on-site, one of whom was identified as an immigration offender. Reports indicate that neither the owner nor the manager was present to address the officers at the time of the inspection.
This was not the first encounter between immigration officials and Sadaf; previous visits occurred in December 2023 and September 2024, but management reportedly obstructed entry on those occasions.
Financial Penalties and Legal Consequences
Sadaf is owned by Persian Aroma Ltd., which was fined £45,000 in May 2025 following the raid. The company attempted to contest the penalty, but their objection was unsuccessful, and the fine remains unpaid, now referred to a debt collection agency.
During the April raid, the illegal worker admitted to being employed at Sadaf for about a year, working 20 hours weekly for a monthly salary of £890, equating to approximately £11 per hour. This rate falls below the National Minimum Wage of £12.21 for individuals aged 21 and over, and £10 for those aged 18-20. The report does not specify the age of the student.
Immigration Status and Employer Responsibility
The London Living Wage, considered the minimum necessary for living in London, is currently set at £14.80 per hour. Home Office checks revealed that the individual entered the UK on a student visa in January 2023 but had overstayed after failing to extend his visa. He was deported to India on May 1, 2025.
The report indicates that Sadaf did not perform the necessary right-to-work checks. It stated, „Whether by negligence or willful blindness, an illegal worker was engaged in activity on the premises, yet it is a simple process for an employer to ascertain what documents they should check before a person can work.“ It is illegal for individuals to work when disqualified, a violation that can only occur with the cooperation of the premises license holder or their agents.
Immigration officials have requested that Westminster City Council revoke Sadaf’s license, a move supported by the council’s licensing team and the Metropolitan Police. A review of the license is scheduled for Wednesday, February 4.
