A North East Italian restaurant and bar has been fined £50,000 after UK government officers found that they had employed illegal workers. 

Vespa Italian Bar and Restaurant, on Roman Road, Primrose Hill, Jarrow, has appeared on the government's latest list of fines handed out to UK businesses who flouted illegal worker rules. 

The restaurant appeared alongside other North East businesses in the Government's quarterly round-up of companies that have had penalties issued for the use of illegal workers.

The Northern Echo: Vespa Italian Bar and RestaurantVespa Italian Bar and Restaurant (Image: GOOGLE MAPS)

According to the data, which was released on December 1 - which is updated every three months - there was seven businesses that have been caught have been fined a collective £145,000. 

The Home Office releases the illegal worker data into the public record four times per year, and the latest data relates to the period of April 1 to June 30, 2023.

Vespa Italian Bar and Restaurant was the highest fine given out in the whole of the region during the latest batch of fines.

The business was listed in the Home Office documents as follows:

Vespa Italian Bar and Restaurant, L&R Leisure NE Ltd, Roman Road, Primrose Hill, Jarrow, NE32 5UB. Fined: £50,000.00

Here are the other businesses fined for using illegal workers:

  • Ahad Tandoori - Ahad Tandoori Restaurant (Gosforth) Limited, 78-82 High Street, Gosforth, Newcastle-upon-TyneNE3 1HB. Fined: £10,000.00
  • China Garden, China Garden (NE) Ltd, 25 York Road, Birtley, Chester-le-Street, County Durham, DH3 2DE. Fined: £30,000.00
  • Wheatley Hill Store, Max Convenience Durham Ltd, .9 Granville Terrace, Wheatley Hill, Durham, DH6 3JQ. Fined: £10,000.00
  • Persian Delight, Persian Delight Ltd, 280 Stanhope Street, Newcastle, NE4 5JT. Fined: £15,000.00
  • Montana Rashida Begum Hussain, 195 York Road, Hartlepool, TS26 9EE. Fined: £15,000.00
  • Starline Newsagents, Rezgar Othman, 252-256 Elswick Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, NE4 6SN. Fined: £15,000.00

According to the Government, there can be severe penalties for employing individuals who do not have the right to work.

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Gov.uk says: "You can be sent to jail for 5 years and 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