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Restaurant raids bad for business
29/ 8/2003
"CONFRONTATIONAL"
raids by uniformed police and Home Office officials on Asian
restaurants are making owners "feel like terrorists" leaders of the
trade claim.
They claims the £2.5 billion a year Asian eating out industry is being damaged by "heavy" searches for illegal workers.
The Guild of Bangladeshi Restauranteure say the raids are putting off diners and frightening off a new generation of restaurant staff from entering the industry.
Said the chairman of the 2,500 member guild Enam Ali: "We are a law abiding industry and we constantly stress to our members the need to follow employment laws. Yet innocent restaurant owners are being made to feel like terrorists and there is a lot of anger out there.
"These raids are taking place all over the country including the Manchester area.
"One comes to mind in Manchester where there was a big raid, all they found was one student without proper working papers. They are looking for illegal immigrants and I agree these should be apprehended. But not like this, after all we are not talking about murderers or people with guns here."
He said the guild particularly objected when teams of unformed police charged into a restaurant at peak times disrupting customers meals and frightening the staff.
"They should try and do it at quieter times with undercover officers in civilian clothes.
"We are trying to raise standard in the industry and encourage a new generation to work into it. But these raids put potential new staff off."
The industry employs 70,000 people and is curently facing server staff shortages.
The guild has received strong support from Epsom Conservative MP Chris Gray;ling.
He said: "I am extremely concerned about this heavy handed action damaging reputable local businesses. I agree that the police have a duty to remove illegal immigrants - but they must not take indiscriminate action in doing so - and certainly not against law abiding business."
The guild is now seeking a high level meeting with the Home Office to try and work out acceptable way for checks to be carried out in the future.
They claims the £2.5 billion a year Asian eating out industry is being damaged by "heavy" searches for illegal workers.
The Guild of Bangladeshi Restauranteure say the raids are putting off diners and frightening off a new generation of restaurant staff from entering the industry.
Said the chairman of the 2,500 member guild Enam Ali: "We are a law abiding industry and we constantly stress to our members the need to follow employment laws. Yet innocent restaurant owners are being made to feel like terrorists and there is a lot of anger out there.
"These raids are taking place all over the country including the Manchester area.
"One comes to mind in Manchester where there was a big raid, all they found was one student without proper working papers. They are looking for illegal immigrants and I agree these should be apprehended. But not like this, after all we are not talking about murderers or people with guns here."
He said the guild particularly objected when teams of unformed police charged into a restaurant at peak times disrupting customers meals and frightening the staff.
"They should try and do it at quieter times with undercover officers in civilian clothes.
"We are trying to raise standard in the industry and encourage a new generation to work into it. But these raids put potential new staff off."
The industry employs 70,000 people and is curently facing server staff shortages.
The guild has received strong support from Epsom Conservative MP Chris Gray;ling.
He said: "I am extremely concerned about this heavy handed action damaging reputable local businesses. I agree that the police have a duty to remove illegal immigrants - but they must not take indiscriminate action in doing so - and certainly not against law abiding business."
The guild is now seeking a high level meeting with the Home Office to try and work out acceptable way for checks to be carried out in the future.
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