A West London restaurant faces a hefty £45,000 fine for employing illegal workers. The Sheepwalk Tavern was raided, uncovering a chef without a valid visa.
West London: A restaurant called the Sheepwalk Tavern just got hit with a big fine. They have to pay £45,000 for having illegal workers on staff.
This all started when Ealing Council got a tip-off. In September 2024, they teamed up with immigration officers to check things out at the restaurant.
When they went into the basement, they found a guy in a chef’s uniform. Turns out, he was overstaying his UK visa and working illegally.
There was also a woman down there who wouldn’t answer any questions. Meanwhile, a drunk guy at the bar started yelling at the officers, saying they should focus on real criminals.
He was pretty aggressive, swearing at the licensing officers. When they told him to leave, he shouted back about how you shouldn’t talk to drunks like that.
The restaurant manager, Rogerio Figuiera Mendes, was also there. He got upset and didn’t want to answer any questions either.
His lawyer claimed Rogerio didn’t really understand the rules about employment. He thought the chef wasn’t technically employed, but the law says otherwise.
Despite having a clean record since 2005, the council wanted to revoke their license. Sadly, during the investigation, Mr. Mendes’ father passed away, which led to a settlement on the fine.
Now, Mr. Mendes has to step down as the Designated Premises Supervisor. The new license holder must check the right to work for every employee before they start.
Licensing Officer Robert Dear mentioned that the area can’t afford to lose good places like this. He believes this was just a one-time mistake.
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