Business owners in Reading are being urged to ensure they are only employing staff who have the right to work in the UK following a string of license reviews in the town.

Two retail premises which recently faced enforcement action are the latest in a long line of employers who have been found to be flouting employment laws and failing to comply with the conditions on their licenses.

Map Food and Wine, in London Road, had their license revoked on December 6 for employing an illegal worker and committing 25 licensing offences over the course of three visits.

Tops Pizza, of Wokingham Road, had their license suspended for three months on December 4 for employing three people who did not have the right to work in the UK.

They were also found to have committed 21 licensing offences during the course of three visits to the premises in 2018.

Both of these licenses were reviewed by Reading Borough Council, who were assisted by Immigration Enforcement.

Since April 2017, the council and Immigration Enforcement have conducted more than 100 joint inspections of licensed premises.

Some of these have been as a result of specific intelligence identifying illegal working, while the majority have been joint inspections to check compliance with licensing legislation.

More than 40 licensed premises were found to have employed one or more illegal workers who had either no right to work or had no right to be in the UK.

Council officers found that workers were being paid well below the minimum wage as well as being paid cash in hand to avoid having to pay any tax or national insurance contributions. They also found that the premises were generally not complying with the conditions on their license and licensing legislation.

To date, 12 licenses have been revoked and one has been suspended for three months.

Cllr Sophia James, lead councillor for neighbourhoods and communities, said: “Our aim is to ensure that in Reading, people are treated fairly, have the opportunity to work and earn a fair wage. We will not tolerate businesses taking short cuts to avoid tax and national insurance or paying their staff below the minimum wage.

“We will not tolerate businesses taking short cuts to avoid tax and national insurance or paying their staff below the minimum wage. Combating illegal working practices supports local businesses which play by the rules, prevents the exploitation of vulnerable immigrants and increases the number of employment opportunities in this town.”

Anyone with information about suspected immigration abuse can contact https://www.gov.uk/report-immigration-crime or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.