Sutton Council has revoked the premises licence for New Golden Gate, a restaurant located at 18 Stonecot Hill, Sutton, after repeated instances of employing illegal workers were discovered. The revocation means the restaurant can no longer conduct licensable activities such as selling alcohol or providing late-night refreshment.

The decision, made at a Licensing Sub-Committee meeting on 5 August 2025, followed an application for review by the Home Office Immigration Enforcement Licensing Compliance Team (IELCT). The IELCT argued that the restaurant had failed to uphold the licensing objective of 'The Prevention of Crime and Disorder' due to the repeated employment of individuals without the right to work in the UK.

New Golden Gate's premises licence permitted the supply of alcohol for retail sale Monday to Saturday from 12:00 to 00:00, Sundays from 12:00 to 23:30, Christmas Day from 12:00 to 15:00 and 19:00 to 23:20, and Good Friday from 12:00 to 23:30. It also allowed for late-night refreshment on Sundays from 23:00 to 23:30 and Monday to Saturday from 23:00 to 00:00.

According to the minutes of the meeting, the IELCT conducted multiple visits to the premises, observing illegal workers on several occasions:

  • 9 April 2024: Two illegal workers observed.
  • 4 September 2024: Three illegal workers observed.
  • 31 July 2025: Two illegal workers observed, including one who had been seen during previous visits.

The IELCT stated that the director was present during the visits in 2024 and could have taken action. This presence, and the subsequent inaction, suggested to the IELCT that the director was aware of the illegal workers. They also highlighted that some workers were only receiving free food and accommodation, which they described as exploitation. A civil penalty fine of £90,000 has been imposed on the business, with only £500 paid to date. The IELCT also noted that employing disqualified workers is a crime, as outlined in paragraph 11.27 of the Secretary of State's Guidance issued under section 182 of the Licensing Act 2003, and should be treated seriously, potentially warranting revocation in the first instance.

The Licence Holder's representative admitted to the allegations made by the Home Office Immigration team in 2024, stating that the management was not aware of the requirements related to completing employment checks. They claimed that the errors were due to ignorance rather than intent and offered to undertake training and bi-annual inspections by Licensing Officers. The representative argued that revocation of the licence was disproportionate and would cause hardship to the owner and his family.

However, the Sub-Committee, consisting of Councillor Trish Fivey (Chair), Councillor Isabel Araujo and Councillor Wendy Clark, decided to revoke the premises licence. The Sub-Committee stated that:

The Sub-Committee considered that no lesser steps would serve to uphold the licensing objective of the Prevention of Crime and Disorder which had seriously been undermined on repeated occasions. The Premises Licence Holder had had at least two opportunities to ensure the position was but had failed to do so. It was of grave concern that the same illegal worker was found to be working at the premises on three separate occasions.

The Sub-Committee considered that a change of designated premises supervisor, suspension of the licence, or imposition of conditions would be an inadequate response. They took into account their duty to the wider community and considered that revocation was the appropriate and proportionate response to prevent further illegal working at the premises, deter such activity, and uphold the licensing objective of the Prevention of Crime and Disorder.

New Golden Gate has the right to appeal the revocation decision to the relevant Magistrates' Court within 21 days of receiving the notification. Details of the appeal process are included with the notification letter, as stated in the council's Licensing Hearing Procedures.

While the restaurant's premises licence has been revoked, it could potentially continue to operate under new management if a new premises licence is obtained, addressing the concerns that led to the revocation of the previous licence.