A Hove restaurant has had its alcohol licence suspended after police said they saw staff falsifying training records.
The 14-day licence suspension for Persia in Church Road, Hove, is described as a “yellow card” in a decision from a Brighton and Hove City Council licensing panel decision.
Restaurant boss Emad Abdolkhani denied the allegations during the hearing on Wednesday, 19 June.
During three hours of testimony the panel – councillors Theresa Fowler, Jackie O’Quinn and Alison Thompson – heard how on Friday 19 April, Sussex Police licensing officer Mark Thorogood went to the restaurant with PC Andre Bernascone and Sergeant Vince Lam and asked to inspect training records.
After six minutes spent waiting for Mr Abdolkhani, Mr Thorogood was considering seeking him out when PC Bernascone spotted a female staff member using correcting fluid to amend paperwork.
PC Bernascone saw the woman through a window in the floor of Persia’s first-floor shisha lounge.
In a short closed session, the panel saw bodycam footage of the incident from both PC Bernascone and Sergeant Lam.
When the records were handed to the police, they found dates changed from 2023 to 2024 on two sheets – and the correcting fluid was still wet. But the sign-off date was unchanged Sunday 30 July 2023.
Mr Abdolkhani’s lawyer Claire Nevin, a barrister at Francis Taylor Building, said that, in asking the council to revoke Persia’s licence, police had not taken a stepped and measured approach.
She said that Mr Abdolkhani was an experienced licence holder whose business was not in “flagrant violation” of the licensing objectives.
In their decision, the panel said they had “seriously considered” revoking the licence as there was evidence of poor record keeping and the credibility and trust in the licence holder was in question.
They said: “It does seem likely to us on a balance of probabilities that the records were falsified deliberately to make up for poor record keeping but we accept that there is an element of uncertainty surrounding precise motive.”
During the hearing the panel also heard from senior planning enforcement officer Emma Lawrence who said the first-floor shisha lounge where the police were waiting did not have planning permission and an enforcement notice would be issued.
Mr Abdolkhani has since said the shisha lounge is no longer operating. In February he was unsuccessful in extending the alcohol licence to cover the first floor.
Also at the hearing, senior Home Office immigration official, Harry Taylor, said when checks were carried out in October 2021 and February last year officials found two men – different each time – in the kitchen who did not have the right to work in Britain.
Mr Abdolkhani said that on both occasions the men were there to eat because he provided food to asylum-seekers through his mosque.
The panel said: “The licensing objectives are clearly undermined by poor record keeping and thus inability to establish that training has been carried out.
“The credibility of and trust in the licence holder is at issue in relation to this and the alleged employment of illegal workers.
“However, the panel is not convinced that revocation of the licence is proportionate or the most effective option in this case.
“The panel believes that a short period of suspension is however appropriate to mark the seriousness of the concerns which have been expressed in this review, to act as a deterrent and give the licence holder the opportunity to ensure that measures are in place.”
As well as the suspension Mr Abdolkhani is required to submit his staff training records to the council’s licensing department every eight weeks, along with a list of current staff working at the business.
Mr Abdolkhani has the right to appeal the decision. He was contacted for comment.
He is also currently banned from being a company director until August 2027.
The panel hearing was adjourned as it ran out of time on Wednesday 19 June. Summing up was held in private session on Monday 15 July.
Clearly a trust worth character… Just shut it down he’s clearly unable to do the basics and I bet his VAT records are massively false.
Oh no, changing the date. Crime of the century.
No wonder this country is going to the dogs with the complete totalitarian regulations driven society.
More and more rules and regulations drive up costs then everyone complains and businesses shut.
If they are fiddling this what elese are they fiddling?
Dates when fire alarms and extinguishers and smoke detectors are tested?
That they have the proper insurance in place?
Other businesses manager to get on without doing this sort of stuff.
It wasn’t just changing a date though Christian. Read the rest of the article.
Either you don’t know him, or you do know him and a part of the problem.
How easy to lie and go away with FRAUD.
He should have been fine for employing illegal workers.
Plenty character flows. Wants to make money but can’t be bothered to follow rules.
He needs to be stopped for his own good, before something really wrong he does and consequences be more serious.
Again and again, same muppets same problem. Evict the idiot from any and all business eternally.
Toot toot!
Emad Abdolkhani again
What a surprise