Shop Keeps License After Hiring Illegal Worker

0:00On April 22nd, a shop in Greenford, West London kept its alcohol license even after hiring an illegal worker and paying him way below minimum wage. Immigration officers raided Oldfield Circus Local on November 29th, 2025 and found the guy working solo who turned out to. Be an upsconder with no right to work in the UK for three years. He'd been on the job for four months, earning either 6 pounds or 8 pounds an hour, still short of the 11 pounds 43 minimum. The owner, Dileg Gaba, got hit with a 40,000 pound fine from the home office, due by May, and admitted skipping right to work checks after. Trusting tips from nearby shops. He paid the worker cash in hand, dodging taxes and national insurance, with no pay slips to back up the pay claims. On top of that, officers spotted nine bottles of non-duty paid Polish booze, which Gaba said he bought from a random guy who walked in and wasn't. Just stashing in.

1:01His team called it a one-off mistake after 11 years of clean operation, and he apologized fully to the council. Ealing council's licensing subcommittee decided revoking the license would be too harsh, so they slapped on strict new rules instead. Now the shop has to document right to work checks for every employee before they start. Keep records for at least 12 months, log annual staff, training, and only buy booze from legit UK suppliers, with invoices ready for spot checks. This case shows how council's way regret, and first offence is against public safety, keeping the shop open under tighter watch, while the owner pays up, and cleans house.