The 12 Scottish businesses fined for using illegal workers in 'name and shame' list

A number of Scottish businesses have been fined for employing illegal workers.

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.

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A total of 12 businesses have been fined across ScotlandA total of 12 businesses have been fined across Scotland
A total of 12 businesses have been fined across Scotland | Josh - stock.adobe.com

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).

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The 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.

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Immigration 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.”

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According 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

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