The 12 Scottish businesses fined for using illegal workers in 'name and shame' list
Twelve Scottish businesses, including restaurants and takeaways in Aberdeenshire, Glasgow and Edinburgh, have been fined thousands of pounds for employing illegal workers.
Figures released by the UK government show Aberdeenshire restaurants and takeaways were fined £380,000 for employing illegal workers, while elsewhere the fines ranged from £10,000 to £45,000.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide Ad

A total of four businesses from the Aberdeenshire region are listed on the Home Office’s ‘name and shame’ list - one of which, Seoul Restaurant in Aberdeen, received an eye-watering £120,000 penalty notice.
The other restaurants on the list penalised by immigration officers were Golden Palace Chinese Restaurant and Blue Spice Takeaway, both in Aberdeen, and Fu Cheng Chinese Takeaway in Methlick. They were fined £90,000, £80,000 and £90,000 respectively.
Elsewhere in Scotland, IMO car wash in Edinburgh was fined £45,000, India Quay restaurants in Glasgow were fined £10,000, and The Original Mr Chef Restaurant in Uddingston was fined £15,000.
Other businesses fined were Excel Fish & Chips Shop in Buckhaven in Fife (£40,000); Spice of Life in Lanarkshire (£40,000); Chillies Takeaway in Lanark (£45,000); Dashti Ltd in Bellshill (£10,000) and China Cuisine in Carluke (£15,000).
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe amounts imposed on the businesses, which cover the period from April 1 to June 30, reflect a hike in the amount businesses can be fined for employing illegal workers that was introduced in February. Fines at that point rose from £15,000 to £45,000 per illegal worker for a first offence and from £20,000 to £60,000 per worker for repeat violations.
Across the UK, fines for businesses employing illegal workers rose 165 per cent, from £8.12 million issued in the first quarter of the year to £21.48m.
The Aberdeenshire businesses listed received higher than average fines and the penalty issued to Seoul Restaurant was one of the highest. Of the 260 businesses issued penalty notices in the period, only five received fines higher than £120,000.
Businesses do have the right to dispute and appeal against penalties.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdImmigration employment experts say the significant rises in fines and activity illustrate how diligent employers need to be when employing overseas workers.
Yash Dubal, director of visa and immigration law firm A Y & J Solicitors, said: “These figures show the cost to businesses when they do get it wrong. An employer has a responsibility to make sure workers are legally allowed to work. Ignorance is not a defence and if you cannot show you have made the necessary checks you could be facing a significant fine.”
In July it was reported that Labour was to launch a crackdown on illegal immigration in Scotland in a move that drew criticism from SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn. The Home Office planned to recruit a team of enforcement officers to be based in Aberdeen.
Mr Dubal said: “Labour shows no signs of softening the stance against undocumented workers and the higher fines now being issued will put some companies out of business.”
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdAccording to Companies House records, the owners of Seoul Restaurant, Crown Street Korean Ltd, applied to have the business struck off in August, thereby dissolving the company. However, the action has been suspended because a creditor had objected to the company's dissolution.
Full list of companies in Scotland that were fined
Seoul Restaurant
Crown Street Korean Ltd
13 Crown Street, Aberdeen
AB11 6HA
£120,000
Golden Palace Chinese Restaurant
Golden Palace 238 Limited
2 Ellon Road, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen
AB23 8EA
£90,000
Blue Spice Takeaway
BWP Aberdeen Ltd
222 George Street, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire
AB25 1BS
£80,000
Fu Cheng Chinese Takeaway
Fu Cheng Chinese Limited
Main Road, Methlick, Ellon
AB41 7DS
£90,000
IMO Car Wash
Soarih Umed
12 Seafield Road, Edinburgh
EH6 7LD
£45,000
India Quay (Restaurants) Ltd
India Quay (Restaurant) Limited
Unit 3 Morris Park, 37 Rosyth Road, Glasgow, Lanarkshire
G5 0YE
£10,000
The Original Mr Chef Restaurant
Maha 786 Ltd
165 Main Street, Uddingston, South Lanarkshire
G71 7BP
£15,000
Excel Fish & Chips Shop
Hasan Rasool Ali
9 Sandwell Street, Buckhaven, Fife
KY8 1BY
£40,000
Spice of Life
Douglas Takeaway Ltd
5 Main Street, Douglas, Lanarkshire
ML11 0QW
£40,000
Chillies Takeaway
Foodkourt5 Ltd
121 High Street, Lanark
ML11 7LN
£45,000
Dashti Ltd
Dashti Ltd
343a Main Street, Bellshill, Lanarkshire
ML4 1AW
£10,000
China Cuisine
M.T. Restaurants Limited
17-19 Kirkton Street, Carluke, Lanark
ML8 4AB
£15,000
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.