The Southern Area Licensing Sub-Committee of Wiltshire Council met on Thursday 4 June 2026 and decided to revoke the premises licence for The Tidworth Kebab House. This decision was made following a review of the licence instigated by the Home Office Immigration Enforcement due to concerns over illegal working at the premises.

Revocation of Premises Licence for The Tidworth Kebab House

The Sub-Committee, chaired by Councillor Kevin Daley and including Councillor Gregory Cooper and Councillor Bridget Wayman, unanimously decided to revoke the premises licence for The Tidworth Kebab House, located at 8 Station Road, Tidworth, SP9 7NN. This decision was taken pursuant to Section 52 (3) & (4)(e) of the Licensing Act 2003¹.

The review was initiated by the Home Office Immigration Enforcement following an enforcement visit on 22 May 2025. During this visit, immigration officers found seven individuals working at the premises, five of whom were identified as working illegally in the UK. Evidence presented indicated a history of previous incidents relating to illegal working at the premises, which the Sub-Committee deemed a breach of immigration working regulations and a serious concern for the licensing objective of the Prevention of Crime and Disorder.

The Sub-Committee noted that a civil penalty of £135,000 was issued to H Kebab Limited on 17 August 2025, which remains unpaid and outstanding. The licence holder, Mr Halil Akar, was observed to be reluctant to provide answers regarding the management structures responsible for employing illegal workers, with his no comment responses leading the Sub-Committee to have no confidence in the Premises Licence Holder's ability to uphold the licensing objectives. Furthermore, Mr Akar demonstrated ignorance of licensing law by not being aware that a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) was required for the sale of alcohol.

The reasons for the decision highlighted a persistent pattern of non-compliance with immigration and licensing legislation, raising serious concerns about Mr Akar's ability to adhere to the licensing objectives. The Sub-Committee concluded that there was strong evidence that Mr Akar was aware of his obligations under the Licensing Act and had failed to comply with them, particularly concerning the Prevention of Crime and Disorder.

The Premises Licence Holder and the Responsible Authority were informed of their right to appeal the decision to the Magistrates Court within 21 days of receiving written notification.