The Licensing Review Sub-Committee met on Thursday 4 June 2026 to consider a review of the premises licence for Café Raj. The Sub-Committee decided to modify the licence by imposing additional conditions to address concerns about illegal working.

Café Raj Premises Licence Review

The Sub-Committee considered an application to review the premises licence for Café Raj, located at 69 Well Hall Road, Eltham, London SE9 6SZ. The review was initiated by the Home Office, Immigration Enforcement, on the grounds that the licensing objective of the Prevention of Crime and Disorder was being undermined due to allegations of illegal working at the premises.

After reviewing all representations, the Council's Statement of Licensing Policy, and statutory guidance, the Sub-Committee determined that it was appropriate and proportionate to modify the premises licence by adding new conditions. The Sub-Committee concluded that revoking or suspending the licence would be a disproportionate response, but that strengthened conditions were necessary to ensure compliance with licensing objectives.

The premises licence for Café Raj was modified with the following immediate conditions:

• Employment and Right-to-Work Checks: The Premises Licence Holder must conduct right-to-work checks for all employees before they commence employment, in accordance with Home Office guidance. Copies of documentation must be retained for inspection for at least 12 months after employment ceases.
• Staff Register: A register of all staff must be maintained, including their full name, employment start date, job role, and the date of their right-to-work check. This register must be available for inspection.
• Training: All staff involved in recruitment and management must receive documented training on right-to-work requirements and illegal working legislation, with refresher training provided every 12 months. Training records must be kept and made available.
• Compliance Audits: The Premises Licence Holder must conduct and document quarterly audits of all employees' right-to-work records, retaining these for at least 24 months.
• Management Condition: Within 28 days, the Premises Licence Holder must submit a written procedure for staff recruitment and right-to-work checking to the Licensing Authority.

The Sub-Committee's decision was based on evidence presented by Immigration Enforcement, including the identification of an individual working at the premises without the right to work in the UK, which led to a civil penalty. The Sub-Committee found that this indicated a failure in employment check systems, impacting the Prevention of Crime and Disorder objective. While acknowledging that illegal working is a serious matter, the Sub-Committee also noted that Café Raj had no prior adverse licensing findings and no evidence of wider crime or disorder. The imposed conditions are designed to ensure robust systems are in place to prevent illegal working and maintain compliance with immigration and employment legislation.

The premises licence holder and the applicant have a right of appeal against this decision to the Magistrates' Court within 21 days of notification.

This meeting was held remotely and was recorded and broadcast on the Council's YouTube channel. The attendees included Councillor Jit Ranabhat (Chair of Licensing), Councillor Averil Lekau (Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member Climate Action, Sustainability and Transport), Councillor Stacy Smith, Senior Lawyer, Licensing Team Manager, and Daniel Wilkinson. The meeting was conducted in accordance with the procedures outlined in the Agenda frontsheet 04th-Jun-2026 18.30 Licensing Review Sub-Committee. Further information can be found in the Public reports pack 04th-Jun-2026 18.30 Licensing Review Sub-Committee and the Decisions 04th-Jun-2026 18.30 Licensing Review Sub-Committee.