Lancaster takeaway has premises licence revoked after breaching immigration law

The licence holder, Rudolf Collaku, has denied the takeaway’s links to modern slavery and money laundering

3 months ago

A Lancaster takeaway has had its licence revoked after a hearing where it faced accusations of modern slavery, money laundering and breaching immigration and licensing regulations.

Flames, located on Rosemary Street, was the subject of a police report by PC Andrew Taylor where accusations dating back to May 2014 were compiled. Such accusations were linked to the licence holder, Rudolf Collaku. He was named on the licence since June 2019.

On 12th September 2024, the Lancaster City Council licensing committee announced that Flames’ Premises Licence had been revoked, meaning it is unable to sell hot food or drinks between 11pm and 5am. It also mentioned the premises’ failure to comply with immigration laws, the breaching of licence regulations, and concerns relating to modern slavery.

An appeal was later made by the business after documents were lodged with the court on September 24th. The premises therefore continues to be permitted to open until the outcome of the appeal.

Employees of the takeaway have allegedly had their passports retained to prevent them from returning home, with the report saying they had been “slapped” when they asked for their documents to be returned to them.

“These people are extremely scared and not willing to make a further complaint in fear of further repercussions,” the report said.

A licensing hearing was scheduled for 10am on Tuesday 10th September, and PC Andrew Taylor recommended that Flames’ license of operation should be permanently revoked.

Collaku denied his business’ alleged links to modern slavery and money laundering at the hearing – however, according to the Lancashire Post he admitted to breaching licence and immigration regulations in the past by hiring staff illegally and failing to reach standards with door staff, COVID regulations and delivery vehicle parking.

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The hearing was sparked by PC Andrew Taylor’s police report collating Flames’ and Collaku’s interactions with the police.

The police records began in May 2014, when Flames was found to be in breach of door staff regulations.

At the time, they only had one SIA-registered door staff member on duty at during a licensing visit.

The SIA, or Security Industry Authority, issues and monitors licences related to private security. A minimum of two door staff registered with the SIA were required in order for Flames to adhere to the terms of its licence.

Later that month, Flames applied to change the licence conditions so that only one door staff member would be required. The police did not object to this application.

Reports escalated when in March 2019, a Bulgarian female contacted the police with accusations of “labour exploitation” against Flames.

She said she had travelled to Lancashire from her home country and was paid for a “sham marriage” to a cousin of Collaku whose name was redacted in the published police report. The woman worked at Flames for five months as a cook and cleaner and reportedly had her passport retained by Collaku to prevent her from returning home to Bulgaria.

A warrant was executed at Flames on 3rd April 2019 under the Modern Slavery Act, and the subsequent search was assisted by PC Andrew Taylor. During this search, the report says that “over £40,000 was seized from the safe by officers,” with “at least half of the cash” being soaked with water.

This was labelled as “a sign of money laundering through criminal activity” by PC Andrew Taylor.

However, witnesses during the search are said to have “declined to cooperate due to fear of repercussions.”

PC Andrew Taylor carried out a licensing visit out in June 2019, where the CCTV system also was found to be not working. This was in breach of licensing regulations, and while it was reported to Rudolf Collaku, he is said to have “made no reply.”

In 2020, Flames was also found to be in breach of COVID guidelines by failing to close at 10pm as was required of them. The following year, the police received complaints of illegal parking by Flames’ delivery vehicles, which were causing obstructions on the pavement outside the establishment.

In June 2022, a Bulgarian male is said to have contacted the police as a Flames employee, with reports of modern slavery. He came to Lancaster Police Station with a suitcase, having “run off or been thrown out.”

The man reported through an interpreter that his employers at Flames had been “abusive and hit him” and that they had taken his documents from him.

The report states that the man was “scared and overwhelmed” and had been working at Flames for less than a month.

He was paid a total of £200, but had been promised more. However, he was allegedly slapped when he asked for his documents back.

In a subsequent investigation, it was established that the man had alleged being slapped by Collaku following a verbal argument between the two. The employee is said to have not wanted to make a complaint when CID (Criminal Investigation Department) investigated further, stating that he only wanted to go home to Bulgaria.

In the meantime, further complaints related to the parking of Flames’ delivery vehicles on the pavement outside the premises had been received by the police, who in March 2021 had delivered a letter regarding the obstructions to Flames. Collaku also attended Lancaster Police to be spoken to about these parking complaints, and was served with a Community Protection Warning.

In October 2022, a multi-agency visit was carried out at the Flames, along with 20 other takeaways. One of the outcomes of the visit was that a male had been found to have been working illegally at the premises, as he was not allowed to work in the UK. Immigration is said to have been set to prosecute the owner of Flames for this.

In the past, Flames have been found to have hired six illegal workers.

This visit also led to the Flames owner paying outstanding fees relating to council licensing, as well as the premises being issued with a “non-formal FSM (Fire Safety Matters) letter,” which addressed the “management and maintenance of the premises.”

In the licensing hearing, it was also said that Collaku was issued fines in 2023 and 2024 that totalled £110,000.

“Mr Collaku has shown again and again that no matter what warnings, penalties or enforcement is done at the premises he chooses to ignore these actions and continues to commit offences,” he continued.

Collaku attended the licensing hearing with his barrister, Ben Williams, according to the Lancashire Post.

Dave Eglin, a counselling officer at the hearing said that Collaku has entered a “Home Office payment arrangement regarding hefty fines,” where he is paying a £2000 monthly direct debit.

Josh Johns, a Home Office immigration officer who attended the meeting has called the case “among the worst I have seen.”

In regards to the claims against Collaku, his barrister Ben Williams said that the Bulgarian woman’s allegations were contradicted by documents that the police found at another premises.

Williams also said that Collaku has begun to improve in relation to documents and checks, legitimate staff, door staff and managing delivery vehicles.

He said that the Home Office has previously established that some staff who were originally believed to be illegitimate workers, were in fact legitimate despite their correct documents not being shown at the time.

Regarding the £40,000 cash found in a safe in 2019, Williams said that this money came from six weeks worth of takings and Mr Collaku usually banked cash of this nature every week or two. It has been said that it was Collaku’s intention to bank this cash.

In the licensing sub-committe’s statement, they said: “The Sub-Committee are of the view that the premises licence holder appears to have little regard to the licensing objectives and in particular that of the prevention of crime and disorder. It is the Sub-Committees decision that it is both appropriate and proportionate in all the circumstances for the promotion of the licensing objectives to revoke the premises licence.”

They highlighted their concerns about the repeated breach of immigration law by Flames employing illegal workers, stating that this had not been a “one-off incident.”

They further stated concerns about the premises’ “history of breaching its licence conditions in relation to the provision of SIA registered door-staff, and management of CCTV” as well as an “inability to effectively manage parking outside its premises by delivery drivers.”

While Flames’ licence has been revoked, Collaku has the right to appeal this decision within 21 days from receiving written notice of his licence being revoked. Therefore, the licence will remain in place until these 21 days have past, or, if Collaku appeals, the day after the appeal is disposed of should it be unsuccessful.

Rudolf Collaku has been contacted for comment.