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Grantham restaurant Istanbul Grill has licence revoked and ordered to pay £90,000 by Home Office after illegal workers and licensing violations found




A restaurant has lost its premises licence and been ordered to pay a £90,000 fine after authorities found illegal workers and multiple licensing breaches.

South Kesteven District Council’s alcohol and late-night refreshment committee decided to revoke the licence of Istanbul Grill, located on High Street, Grantham, following a hearing last week (Tuesday, February 11).

The business has 21 days to appeal but revoking the licence means the owners can no longer sell alcohol, sell food after 11pm or carry out other regulated activities, such as playing recorded music, unless a new licence is obtained. It can stay open to sell food but the owners claimed during the hearing that being unable to sell alcohol will put the business at risk of closure.

Istanbul Grill on Grantham High Street.
Istanbul Grill on Grantham High Street.

The committee heard police and Home Office evidence of illegal workers and licensing breaches.

Licence holder Zohreh Hosseini and her husband, Amir Nazar, breached regulations, including serving alcohol without a personal licence holder and lacking staff training records.

Sergeant Amy Adams, of Lincolnshire Police, presented evidence highlighting multiple breaches of licensing laws and concerns over illegal employment.

Lincolnshire Police requested a licence review, citing criminal activity that undermined crime prevention and child protection licensing objectives.

Istanbul Grill on Grantham High Street.
Istanbul Grill on Grantham High Street.

Immigration officers found two illegal workers at the restaurant on August 1. Both individuals had outstanding asylum claims and no legal right to work in the UK.

Workers said they were paid in cash below minimum wage or only given food.

The business was issued a £90,000 fine by Home Office immigration enforcement authorities, which the hearing heard was unpaid. Mr Nazar said his solicitor was handling the matter.

A police inspection on October 9 found breaches, including incorrect alcohol measures, CCTV timestamps, and a missing Challenge 25 policy.

The inspection found violations in alcohol measurements, including spirits being sold only in 50ml servings instead of the required 25ml or 35ml, and wine only offered in 250ml servings instead of the legal minimum of 125ml.

Mr Nazar, managing the business alone at the time due to a poorly child, claimed alcohol was only served with his wife present.

However, a revisit an hour later found he had served beer without a personal licence holder on site.

Mrs Hosseini failed to respond to police requests for corrective actions.

Planning enforcement officers noted that the restaurant’s premises licence included a restriction on preparing hot food due to ventilation and odour concerns.

Despite this, inspectors found evidence of food preparation, along with the installation of an unauthorised flue.

Additionally, Mr Nazar and Mrs Hosseini have prior links to criminal activity, including a 2018 conviction against Mr Nazar for selling counterfeit tobacco at a Grantham store.

Police also made a licence review application at that time. Although it was surrendered before the meeting, the licence was still revoked.

Police cited Mr Nazar’s 2018 counterfeit tobacco conviction as part of a pattern of violations.

“Police have no confidence in Mrs Hosseini’s ability to uphold the licensing objectives of preventing crime and disorder and protecting children from harm,” said Sgt Adams.

“Lincolnshire Police are also not assured that the premises will uphold child protection licensing objectives in light of their apparent lack of an age verification policy, appropriate staff training, and signage.

“None of these conditions listed within the premises licence could be evidenced during the recent police visit.

“We feel the evidence provided today shows that these licensing objectives have been seriously undermined. If action is not taken today, these breaches will continue.”

Police noted a government crackdown on illegal workers, with arrests up 29% since July 2024.

Mr Nazar pleaded for "one more chance," saying: “This is a family business. We’re independent.”

He said revoking the premises licence would put the future of the business at risk, saying: “If we're not selling alcohol, we lose the business.”

He claimed to have checked the visas and passports of the illegal workers and said he told them they could only train.

He also said he was away on holiday and was unaware of what had happened in his absence, adding that he had copies of the documents but did not produce them.

Mr Nazar denied intentionally breaching any rules regarding the employment of illegal workers or other violations.

He initially claimed alcohol was only served when his wife was present but later clarified she had been in the kitchen or at the back when alcohol was served.

In response to alcohols being served in the wrong measures, Mr Nazar said he couldn't find the proper measuring device at the time of the inspection, and had to use a different one he was able to locate.

Mrs Hosseini noted there was a language barrier but claimed she understood the licence rules.

Despite the couple’s plea, the committee revoked the licence due to repeated breaches and non-compliance which sparked a lack of confidence in councillors.

Several councillors questioned whether Mr Nazar and Mrs Hosseini truly understood their licensing responsibilities.

Cabinet member for licensing Philip Knowles (Ind) said: “You’ve not said anything at all yet that makes me think that you either understand or have the ability and the will to follow the rules.”

There is a 21-day appeal period during which the restaurant can continue to sell alcohol.



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