Star of Bengal Seeks New Alcohol License Until 2 AM

An Indian restaurant in Whitstable is making another attempt to regain its alcohol license, which was revoked last month due to immigration violations. The Star of Bengal, located on Harbour Street, lost its previous license after two men were found working illegally, receiving payment in food and free accommodation. New owner Riaz Ali has submitted a revised application that would allow the establishment to serve alcohol until 2 AM.

This marks the second application from Mr. Ali this month. The first attempt was deemed invalid by the Canterbury City Council (CCC) because it did not meet the advertising requirements set forth under the Licensing Act 2003. According to a council spokesperson, the application failed to comply with Regulation 25, which mandates that an A4 notice on pale blue paper be displayed prominently at the premises, alongside a newspaper advertisement detailing the proposed licensable activities.

Mr. Ali, who took over the restaurant in January 2023, is seeking to restore the establishment’s ability to serve alcohol after a previous inspection by the Home Office (HO) uncovered two Bangladeshi nationals working illegally at the site in December 2022. One of the individuals initially claimed to be cooking for himself but later admitted to receiving free meals in exchange for his work. Consequently, the restaurant’s premises license was revoked, and its former license holder, Mohammed Ashraful Islam, faced a hefty fine of £45,000.

Since the license was not transferred to Mr. Ali upon taking ownership, he is now eligible to apply for a new license. He expressed his determination to overcome the challenges facing the food industry, stating, “The food industry is struggling as it is, and this has made it more difficult for us, but we will come back stronger.” He also emphasized the restaurant’s solid reputation among local customers and hopes for their continued support.

The CCC is expected to reach a decision on Mr. Ali’s application within the coming months, as the Star of Bengal aims to restore its operations to full capacity and enhance its service offerings.