THE owners of a Taunton Indian restaurant claim their business is "suffering" after the Home Office imposed an "unfair" review of their premises licence, which they believe could have been triggered by the Government department's earlier mistake.
Maliha & Taj, a Bengali and Indian restaurant located on Staplegrove Road, was visited by the Home Office in June, where an individual was questioned over their right to work. However, a few months later, on September 4, the Home Office issued a "No Action Notice" letter stating that the issue was "unproven" and that "no further action" would be taken.
Despite this outcome, director Mohammad Juhurul Islam, known as Mo, and business partner Omar Faruq said they were shocked to learn the Home Office had initiated a review of Maliha and Taj's premises licence on September 17.
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The pair reached out to their local MP, Gideon Amos — who had previously helped them work through a "misinterpretation" by the Home Office — and the Somerset Council for answers as to why a premises review has been requested.
Mr Amos' representative said: “The Home Office previously wrongly interpreted the immigration rules relating to workers at this restaurant, and after Mr Amos took up constituents' concerns, a letter of apology by the minister for border security and asylum was provided.
“Following a second investigation, the Home Office issued a Notice of No Further Action. Mr Amos has therefore written again to the Home Office to ask why it has requested the premises license be reviewed.”
The owners of Maliha & Taj are now taking legal action against the Home Office.
Mo said: “To see our reputation going down like this is awful. I have a good reputation in Taunton, and the Home Office and the council don’t think about this. We have been in Taunton for 18 years.
"My son saw the messages from people who have commented on the licensing application. He’s 13 and he says, ‘You know, maybe they are racist Dad’.
He added: “So far, business has gone down a bit – you’re talking up to £1,000 a week. What annoys me so much is that the council won't even think about any of this."
A Home Office spokesperson said that an application to review the premises licence for Maliha and Taj was initiated on September 17. They said the application is in the statutory consultation period.
A spokesperson for Somerset Council said: "The Home Office applied to Somerset Council to have the licence for the premises reviewed on the grounds of failing to prevent crime and disorder; specifically on account of illegal workers being found across a number of separate visits.
"We have been made aware that the Home Office did issue an apology in relation to one of these visits and a ‘notice of no action’ for another. Somerset Council has asked the Home Office for additional information to confirm if this was considered prior to making its application and whether it intends to proceed with the application."
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