The owner of a London restaurant hit with a £45,000 fine over an illegal worker has pleaded with the local authority to renew his licence. Dilman Ismail Mahmoud told a Westminster City Council Licensing Sub-Committee that he was sorry about the incident and now conducts regular employment checks at his Bayswater business.
Immigration enforcement officers found an illegal worker employed by Sadaf Restaurant during a raid in April 2025. The Home Office issued a £45,000 civil penalty and referred the case for a licensing review in November 2025. Mr Mahmoud said: “I don’t want to pay another penalty – it’s hard for me. I’m sorry that this happened. It’s my business, I need to look after it.”
Legal counsel Armin Solimani explained the employee was hired on a student visa in December 2023, which expired in May 2024. The worker claimed he was renewing his visa and had the right to work. Mr Solimani called this an “inadvertent error” and said Mr Mahmoud had been “severely punished”.
The application for a new premises licence arose because the original licence was void after Sadaf Restaurant Ltd became bankrupt in September 2022. A new company, Persian Aroma Ltd, was created. Mr Solimani said the licence transfer was done in “good faith”.
The Home Office opposed the application, citing “sustained history of non-compliance” and alleged phoenix activity. Mr Solimani denied this, noting no repeated pattern of liquidation. The Home Office also noted that the penalty payment began only after the review application started.
Central London ICE visited Sadaf on December 6, 2023, and September 19, 2024, but was denied entry. Mr Mahmoud said one denial was due to the lunch rush and the other because he was not present. The April 2025 raid followed intelligence that the owners employed illegal workers to pay less and avoid taxes, though counsel said the worker was paid near minimum wage.
The Metropolitan Police and licensing authority also opposed the application. A report stated the authority “has no confidence in this licence holder”. However, the South East Bayswater Residents’ Association (SERBA) supported Mr Mahmoud, calling him a “family man” who has helped local schools with food supplies and festivals.
The sub-committee discussed conditions like regular right-to-work checks and immediate access to records. A new licence could allow Sadaf to open from 10am to 11:30pm Sunday to Thursday, and 10am to midnight Friday and Saturday. A decision is expected within five working days.
