The Licensing Sub-Committee of Havering Council met on Friday 24 April 2026 to review the premises licence for Diamond Food & Wine, located at 135-137 New Road, Rainham. Following discussions and consideration of representations from the Public Protection Officer and the Home Office, the committee decided to revoke the licence.

Revocation of Licence for Diamond Food & Wine

The Licensing Sub-Committee has decided to revoke the premises licence for Diamond Food & Wine. This decision was made after considering representations from Mr. Paul Jones, a Public Protection Officer for Havering Council, and Alex Romano, representing the Home Office Immigration Department. The review was initiated under Section 51 of the Licensing Act 2003.

The primary concerns raised during the hearing related to the employment of individuals without the right to work in the UK and significant safety issues at the premises. Mr. Jones highlighted that during a visit on 27 February 2026, two individuals were found working at the premises who did not have the legal right to work in the UK. One of these individuals was serving customers, and neither had undergone right-to-work checks. Furthermore, the fire exit at the premises was found to be sealed and unusable, posing a serious risk to public safety.

The Home Office, represented by Alex Romano, supported the review application, citing the employment of illegal workers as a breach of the licensing objective to prevent crime and disorder. They noted that employing individuals without the right to work deprives the government of tax revenue, exploits vulnerable workers, and allows businesses to gain an unfair competitive advantage. The Home Office also highlighted that the company, Diamond Food & Wine Limited, had been issued a civil penalty notice of £80,000 in relation to these immigration breaches.

Concerns were also raised about the management of the premises. The nominal Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS), Mr. Mehul Patel, had not been the DPS for 10 years and had emailed Mr. Jones querying the application, stating he had lost his personal licence. The director of the company, Mr. Praful Patel, was reported to be in India for medical treatment. This lack of clear supervision and the apparent cavalier attitude towards licensing responsibilities were significant factors in the decision.

During the discussion, councillors noted that this was the third such case in recent weeks involving immigration issues, suggesting a potential pattern. The committee also discussed the sale of high-strength ciders, with Mr. Jones noting that while not a breach of a specific condition on the current licence, it was a concern given the lack of supervision and the potential for misuse.

It was noted that the current licence holder had sold the business to a third party, and an application for a new premises licence was in progress. Regardless of the outcome of this review, it was understood that a new licence holder would be in place. However, the committee concluded that the existing licence holder should no longer be entrusted to sell alcohol due to the serious breaches identified.

Each party is entitled to appeal this decision within 21 days of receipt of the decision notice.