East Staffordshire Borough Council has successfully prosecuted a previous Burton based business owner after a local business was found to be trading without a premises licence.
On the 30th November 2018, officers from East Staffordshire Borough Council carried out a late night visit to the Lahori Grill, Waterloo Street, Burton upon Trent. The premises licence, which enabled the owner Mr Suliman Javid to sell hot food after 11pm, had been suspended after he failed to pay the annual premises licence fee.
Officers found that the business was continuing to trade without a licence and a prosecution was bought by the Council against Mr Javid.
On the 25th March 2019, Mr Javid failed to attend North Staffordshire Justice Centre and an application was made for a warrant which the court granted. The warrant remained outstanding until July 2019 when Mr Javid was arrested and bought before the court on the 15th July 2019 where the matter was adjourned until 12th August 2019.
Mr Suliman Javid appeared before the court on the 12th August 2019 and received a fine of £207 with costs of £758.48 being awarded to the Council and a victim surcharge of £30, totalling of £995.48.
Ownership of the premises changed hands earlier this year and it is now operating with a valid premises licence.
Councillor Bernard Peters, Deputy Leader for Regulatory Services and Community Support, said: “I’m delighted to see that the hard work and vigilant approach of the Council officers has led to a successful prosecution. The Council works closely with local businesses and on the rare occasion a breach of the Licensing Act is discovered, it’s important that we take the necessary action and anyone who is found guilty by the court suffers the consequences.”