A takeaway in Bridgwater has had its premises licence revoked after authorities uncovered the employment of three illegal workers on-site. Deluxe Pizza, located at 73 High Street, which serves burgers, pizzas, kebabs, and other hot foods, was inspected by Home Office immigration officials in November 2024.
During the visit by the Wales and West of England Immigration Compliance and Enforcement (ICE) team, three individuals without the right to work in the UK were identified. Two were from Afghanistan, having arrived via small boats, and the third was from Iraq. The Afghan workers had been employed without any right-to-work checks and were paid either in cash or food. The Iraqi individual was a minor, only 17 years old, and also lacked work authorization.
Following the discovery, premises licence holder Khorshid Tofiq Khorshid was issued an £80,000 fine in February 2025, which remains unpaid. Consequently, Somerset Council’s licensing sub-committee voted to revoke the takeaway’s licence in September 2025 to prevent further violations. An attempt by the new owner, Shivan Twfeek, to transfer the licence was blocked due to concerns from Avon and Somerset Constabulary, which cited ongoing risks of immigration breaches and other licensing infringements, including the absence of door staff for over two months.
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Councillor Marcus Kravis, chairing the licensing meeting, condemned the employment of illegal workers as a serious crime and criticized the current system that imposes large fines businesses often cannot pay. He suggested that more manageable fines could encourage compliance and reduce attempts to circumvent regulations.
Kravis also highlighted broader systemic issues, pointing out that many illegal workers are forced into employment due to delays or denials in asylum processing. He emphasized the need for government reform in handling both illegal immigration and asylum seekers, expressing sympathy for law enforcement’s challenges but calling for practical solutions to improve the situation.
Deluxe Pizza now faces closure unless it successfully appeals the decision by the end of September 2025. This enforcement follows similar immigration compliance actions against other food outlets in Bridgwater over the past year.