An off-licence in Ealing has kept its licence after hiring an illegal worker.
Rivercity Superstore, on 13 Dudley Road in Southall, was found to have a male working illegally 10 months past his visa expiry date. During an immigration raid one month later in November 2025, the same male was found working again.
The worker admitted to “working 20 hours per week stacking shelves and working at the till”. The man was arrested as an overstayer in the UK as his student visa expired in July 2024 after non-attendance of his university course.
During the November raid, Mr Kulwant SIngh Bhatia, the husband of Ms Akritta Bhatia, the Licence Holder, called the shop and was “very irate and shouting at the officer” according to a report to Ealing Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee. Mr Bhatia was supposed to be banned from being involved with the business from 2023 after it was found that he was selling illegal tobacco, the documents state.
Council officers argued that this demonstrated his continued involvement in the business. This was further demonstrated, they say, when Mr Bhatia told officers that the worker was “legally entitled to work as he had checked the passport and other documents as that was [his] side of the business”.
According to Ms Bhatia’s daughter, her mother was “conned” by the illegal worker. She says he must have produced false documents in order to present as a legal worker, however admits that the immigration checks were not completed and described it as a “mistake and an oversight”.
Miss Bhatia told the committee that the worker had previously been employed by Rivercity Superstore when he was legally allowed to work in the UK. However, the family found out that “he was actually selling drugs and conducting illegal activity outside of the shop outside working hours”.
As a result, he was fired immediately, she claimed however he was subsequently rehired. Miss Bhatia explained that the father of the illegal worker had been calling her from India, “begging” her to hire him back despite his alleged drug dealing.
Ms Bhatia claims she eventually hired him back under pressure, although maintains that she did not know that his visa had expired. When first questioned by officers, the unnamed illegal worker stated that “he had applied for another [immigration card] and was awaiting its arrival”.
During the November raid, Ms Bhatia claimed that she “had his passport at her home address and that he was allowed to work”. When her daughter arrived at the shop to provide this proof, all she could produce was his provisional driving licence.
The case remains under investigation by immigration enforcement, and so far it has not been determined whether Ms Bhatia or the business will face a £40,000 fine. In an effort to improve practice at the off-licence, a new premises supervisor has been hired and is being paid above market rate, they told the committee.
Ealing Council licensing officers were seeking the withdrawal of the licence to sell alcohol at the premises due to this incident, however councillors did not concur. Returning the decision, Cllr Munir Ahmed outlined three new conditions the shop must operate under.
This includes maintaining written right to work check procedures compliant with Home Office guidance, a right to work record for each member of staff on the premises, and a designated premises supervisor or licence holder to be present at the shop at all times when alcohol is sold.
