A Wiltshire kebab shop has had its licence to serve late-night food and alcohol revoked after a raid by Home Office agents.
Wiltshire Council's southern area licensing committee heard that during a raid in May 2025 the owner was found to be employing illegal workers, illegally selling alcohol, and was displaying an inaccurate food hygiene certificate.
The business has also failed to pay a substantial fine for employing illegal workers.
The meeting heard that Halil Akar took over Tidworth Kebab House at 8 Station Road, Tidworth from Hikmet Alkan in August 2022.
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But Mr Akar failed to gain qualifications allowing him to be recognised as a designated premises supervisor - meaning he was selling alcohol illegally.
The takeaway - which had a licence to trade until 3am on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays - was also displaying a five-star Food Hygiene Rating certificate, despite having only achieved three stars at its last inspection.
At a meeting in Salisbury, committee members heard that on May 22, 2025 immigration enforcement raided the takeaway after receiving intelligence that the business was employing illegal workers.
Officers found five of the seven people working at the takeaway on the night of the raid - all Turkish or Romanian nationals - were working illegally.
Employees told officers that they were working up to 12-hour shifts and were paid small amounts in cash.
The employees confirmed that they did not pay income tax or National Insurance.
The employees had either entered the country by small boat or were on visitor visas, the meeting heard.
The business was issued with a £135,000 fine, with a final payment date of September 17. The fine remains unpaid.
"Whether through negligence or wilful blindness, persons disqualified from working in the UK were permitted to undertake work on the premises," the Home Office told the committee.
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The Home Office, Immigration, Compliance & Enforcement (ICE) Team subsequently asked Wiltshire Council to revoke the premises licence on the grounds of prevention of crime and disorder.
"Merely remedying the existing situation, for instance by the imposition of additional conditions or a suspension, is insufficient to act as a deterrent to the licence holder and other premises’ licence holders from employing illegal workers and facilitating disqualified immigrants to work illegally," councillors were told.
The committee voted to revoke the licence.
The premises licence holder has the right to appeal this decision. An appeal must be lodged within 21 days of being notified of the decision.
