Two Scarborough and Whitby companies handed ‘illegal working civil penalties’

Two businesses in Scarborough and Whitby have been fined more than £60,000 for employing ‘illegal workers’. 

The Government has issued ‘illegal working civil penalties’ to two businesses in Scarborough and Whitby alongside several others in North Yorkshire. 

Bengal Spice Ltd, at 47 Prospect Road in Scarborough, was fined £15,000. 

Meanwhile, Bitz N Pizzas Ltd at 24 Flowergate in Whitby was handed a fine of £50,000. 

The update on companies that have been fined for illegal working practices was published last month and covers the period from January to the end of March this year. 

According to the Government: “You can be sent to jail for five years and have to pay an unlimited fine if you’re found guilty of employing someone who you knew or had ‘reasonable cause to believe’ did not have the right to work in the UK.

“This includes, for example, if you had any reason to believe that:

they did not have leave (permission) to enter or remain in the UK

their leave had expired

they were not allowed to do certain types of work

their papers were incorrect or false”

According to Companies House, Bengal Spice in Scarborough applied to be “struck off and dissolved” last week. 

The publishing of the businesses’ details by Immigration Enforcement is used as “a warning to other businesses not to employ illegal workers”. 

Other companies in North Yorkshire that were also issued with fines, included 

Sarah Shawarma, 110 Parliament Road, Middlesbrough

Istanbul Shwarma, 61 High Street, Redcar