The Sutton restaurant still has £89,500 in fines outstanding with the Home Office after being prosecuted
A Sutton restaurant is attempting to regain its licence only weeks after losing it, following an immigration raid that uncovered staff working illegally.
New Golden Gate in Stonecot Hill, Sutton was found to be employing staff without pay, instead providing food or lodging. It led Sutton Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee to revoke the alcohol and late night licence on August 5 this year.
The Home Office discovered five illegal workers at the restaurant over a two-year period, describing the situation as an “example of exploiting vulnerable people”. Despite these “concerning” findings, the Indian restaurant has since applied to renew its late-night and alcohol licence.
Officers from the Home Office’s Immigration Enforcement Licensing Compliance Team first visited the restaurant on April 9, 2024 following a tip-off. They found one man setting tables who admitted working in exchange for food, and another dressed in chef’s whites who denied employment but was later identified on CCTV as having cooked there for four months.
The second man also admitted to living rent-free above the restaurant for months, while both had no legal right to work. Their passports had expired over a decade earlier, and their leave-to-remain applications had been rejected.
Owner Ravi Jakkula initially denied knowing the men but later admitted allowing one to work during Ramadan. He also acknowledged failing to carry out proper right-to-work checks.
A second visit on September 4 revealed further breaches, with six staff questioned. Two had no right to work, while another was in breach of his visa conditions.
One man admitted cooking and bread-making for a week in exchange for food or £10–£20. Officers also found the same cook from April, who confessed to working part-time despite being an overstayer.
Another man was seen behind the bar setting a table and claimed it was his first day helping. However, checks revealed he held a Skilled Worker visa valid until 2026 but was restricted to a different employer.
The owner also admitted hiring two workers with protection claims after only checking their Asylum Registration Cards. Protection claims refer to an application for international protection by someone who fears persecution if they are returned to their home country.
Mr Jakkula confirmed that some staff were given food and accommodation instead of wages. Officers raised further concerns during inspections, including the absence of a displayed premises licence and incomplete CCTV coverage.
Premises licence holder Mr Zaheer Babar, in place since 2017, was not present at either visit. Officers noted that his absence weakened oversight, despite Mr Jakkula being present on both occasions.
In September, the Home Office fined the restaurant £90,000 for employing two people without the right to work in the UK. Although the owners initially challenged the penalty, they have so far paid only £500, leaving £89,500 outstanding. The debt has now been referred to external recovery specialists for enforcement.
Nearly a year later, on July 31, 2025, immigration officers returned following a previous compliance check. Despite earlier improvements, they again found two illegal workers, including one previously encountered three times.
At a Licensing Committee meeting on August 5, Babar and his lawyer disputed the July findings but accepted the earlier breaches. In a letter dated July 22, Babar admitted responsibility for the breaches, writing that the failures were “entirely his fault, stemming from a lack of proper oversight”.
Babar also told the committee he had been unaware of the illegal working practices, putting this down to his distance from the business as an “investor”. He added: “I am going to have a word with them to make sure this never happens again.”
The restaurant’s solicitor, James Preedy, also claimed that providing food and accommodation instead of wages was a “cultural norm” in India and Bangladesh, where the workers originated. He argued the owners had not intended to exploit staff but were “just trying to help out”.
However, Sutton councillors quickly rejected this defence, emphasising that the owners had a legal duty to comply with employment laws. Councillors voiced particular concern that the man in the chef’s whites was found during all three inspections.
The council subsequently revoked the restaurant’s licence, as recommended by the Home Office, preventing it from serving alcohol or late-night refreshment after 11pm.
Despite the revocation, the restaurant was still able to use its licence for 21 days afterwards, in line with the council’s standard policy. Once this period lapsed, it could only serve food until 11pm.
The owners have now applied to renew their licence to serve alcohol, late-night food and play music. Sutton’s Licensing Sub-Committee will consider the application, which is open for public comment.
New Golden Gate was approached for comment, but did not respond in time for publication.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “Illegal working undermines honest employers, undercuts local wages, and fuels the criminal industry of immigration crime. This government is determined to clamp down on that illegal activity in every sector where it occurs, including restaurants.
“Since coming to power, enforcement action nationwide has increased, with raids and arrests up by around 50% on the previous 12 months, and we will be stepping up that action further in the year ahead.”
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