The Licensing (2003 Act) Sub-Committee of Newham Council met on Wednesday 14 October 2026 to consider a review of the premises licence for Thiru Ananthapuram Restaurant. The committee considered evidence presented by the Home Office Immigration Enforcement regarding repeated instances of illegal working at the premises.

Review of Thiru Ananthapuram Restaurant Premises Licence

The Licensing Sub-Committee heard an application for the review of the premises licence for Thiru Ananthapuram Restaurant, located at 241A High Street North, E12 6SJ. The review was initiated by the Home Office Immigration Enforcement on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, citing evidence of illegal working at the premises.

The Home Office presented evidence from two enforcement visits. The first, on 11 August 2023, found seven individuals working without the right to work in the UK. This resulted in a £70,000 civil penalty issued to Premvas Catering Ltd, a company associated with the premises licence holder. The second visit, on 03 July 2025, encountered one individual working in breach of their visa conditions, leading to a £40,000 civil penalty for Vish Restaurant Ltd. The Home Office argued that these repeated instances demonstrated a failure to uphold licensing objectives and undermined the prevention of crime and disorder. They highlighted that right to work checks are a legal requirement and that their absence created an unfair advantage for non-compliant businesses and exposed vulnerable individuals to exploitation.

In addition to illegal working, the Home Office raised concerns about a lack of a refusal log, no Challenge 25 posters, and restricted access to the CCTV system. They also noted that only one front-of-house staff member was trained to carry out licensing activities.

The representative for the premises licence holder argued that including the 2023 incident in the review was unfair, constituting double jeopardy as a civil penalty had already been issued and was being paid. They also contested the accuracy of the Home Office's account of the 2025 visit, stating that the owner's admission of the student working for over a month was inaccurate and that the matter was subject to an ongoing appeal.

After considering the evidence and submissions, the Sub-Committee deliberated on the matter. The decision of the Sub-Committee will be announced in public following their deliberations.