Cllr Maggie Carman

A FAMOUS Chinese restaurant has been stripped of its licence following an application from the home office.

The Royal China in Baker Street, part of the Royal China Club group, was found to not be paying staff minimum wage, a Westminster City Council committee heard yesterday (Thursday).

The Dim Sum specialists had been raided by right to work officers three times since 2018 and paid more than £470,000 in fines, the meeting heard. During the most recent raid in May this year nine workers were arrested, leading to a £360,000 fine that was immediately paid in full, it was stated.

The meeting also heard how a fire alarm was set off during one raid and one arrested worker escaped in the “melee”, according to the home office.

Evidence from the Metropolitan Police Service suggested the wages believed to have been paid to some workers could amount to “modern day slavery”.

No representatives from Royal China Group or the licence holder, Allisgood Ltd, attended the hearing to defend the company’s record.

Licensing committee chair Cllr Maggie Carman said: “The committee has considered an application for termination of the licence under the Licensing Act 2003.

“Having carefully considered the papers by all parties the committee has decided that it is appropriate to revoke the licence.”

The licence permits sale of alcohol at the restaurants and also playing recorded music.

The meeting heard evidence from the home office ICE – Immigration Compliance and Enforcement – team’s Leonard Johnson about chaotic raids, with staff tearing off their uniforms and fleeing the restaurant.

He recalled how during one raid “the fire alarm was set off which disrupted the visit and all officers and detainees had to leave the restaurant and return to the vehicles”.

He added: “In the commotion one Chinese fem-ale who had admitted to entering the United Kingdom illegally managed to escape.

“The fire brigade attended and informed the officer in charge that there had been no fire and that the fire alarm had been pressed by someone inside the restaurant.”

He added: “Despite best efforts to engage with premises it has had no lasting impact.

“We have used immigration powers, but it has not had an impact as a preventative measure. This is why we are opting for a licensing review.”

A police officer told the meeting adding extra conditions to the licence “would not be appropriate”, and added: “The premises licence holder has clearly not carried out any checks for right to work and has taken no note of any government rules on minimum wage etc.

“The hours worked and the pay given (as disclosed by a detainee) could fall within the definition of modern slavery.”

The Royal China Group has been contacted for comment.