Home office objects to licence application by Pizza GoGo in Green Lanes over illegal workers

The home office has stepped in to object to a Stoke Newington pizza joint’s efforts to appoint a new licensee because it employed illegal immigrants.

Pizza GoGo in Green Lanes wants to transfer its licence to Reza Zafarkhah. But a representative of home secretary Amber Rudd says Mr Zafarkhah was the owner of the business in August 2016 when one “failed asylum seeker and one illegal entrant” were arrested, and a notice of potential liability was served.

The officer wrote in a report: “A visit was conducted on August 28, 2013 by immigration enforcement officers, one overstayer was encountered and arrested and a notice of potential liability was served.

“The owner of the business at this time was not Reza Zafarkhah.

“A further visit was conducted on August 11 2016 where one failed asylum seeker and one illegal entrant were encountered and arrested and a notice of potential liability was served. The owner of the business at this time was stated as Reza Zafarkhah.”

The Home Office said should the change of licence be approved, it wanted conditions attached to it that would mean Mr Zafarkhah must carry out checks relating to employees’ right to work, keep copies of those documents detailing their right to work and produce them on demand to immigration officers.

The licence was suspended last year for non-payment of the annual fee, but reinstated in December upon receiving payment.

A decision will be made on Tuesday.