A Brentwood restaurant has been stripped of its premises licence after an immigration raid found it had been employing illegal workers.

An application to review the licence of Kervan Kitchen in Doddinghurst was made to Brentwood Council by the Home Office following information being received that the business was employing illegal workers.

Visits were conducted on May 10 and June 29 and, on both occasions, males were arrested who had no legal basis to live or work in the UK.

A council report said one Tajikistani male was arrested who had no legal basis to live or work in the UK.

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It added: "During this visit, a member of the public advised officers that three individuals made off from the restaurant and jumped into neighbouring houses’ gardens after immigration officers entered the business. These individuals were not located."

On June 29, the same team executed another search warrant at Kervan Kitchen, it added. 

The report said around four individuals within the premises attempted to make off when immigration officers entered but all were stopped.

Following questioning, two Tajikistani males were arrested who had no legal basis to live or work in the UK.

A decision notice from the council said: "The committee noted that the business accepted that they had allowed illegal workers to be on this business and felt that a number of explanations offered regarding this were inconsistent and, when considered, could not be correct.”

The business has the right to appeal to the magistrates’ court within 21 days.

A premises licence allows the sale of alcohol and the sale of late-night refreshment (hot food and drink supplied between 11pm and 5am).