employment of illegal workers
Councils are currently addressing concerns about the employment of illegal workers through premises licence decisions.
Ealing Council's Licensing Sub-Committee suspended a premises licence for AKP Retailer for four weeks and imposed additional conditions in May 2026 due to serious breaches. This follows Barking and Dagenham Council's Licensing Sub-Committee postponing a decision in October 2025 on a licence transfer for Garip Superstore T/A Costcutter, amid concerns about the employment of illegal workers.
The Barking and Dagenham licence had been revoked in August 2025 following a review, with the transfer application seeking to remove Ismail Garip as a licence holder. Councils are considering the employment of illegal workers, where individuals are employed without the legal right to work in the UK, when making licensing decisions. No further council meetings are currently scheduled to discuss this topic.
Key facts
- Barking and Dagenham Council postponed a licence transfer decision for Garip Superstore T/A Costcutter in October 2025. Source
- Concerns about the employment of illegal workers led to the postponement. Source
- The Garip Superstore T/A Costcutter licence was revoked on 28 August 2025. Source
- The transfer application sought to remove Ismail Garip as a licence holder. Source
About this summary
This summary was written automatically from our published stories and the council meeting records they draw on. It describes what councils have discussed and decided; it does not take a view on any decision. Each key fact links to the story it comes from. Updated 30 September 2026. Spotted a mistake? Email community@opencouncil.network.