Council Turns Down Restaurant Licence Application
Hastings BC’s Licensing Committee has rejected a new premises licence application from the Ocean Spice Indian restaurant, located on Hastings seafront. The decision followed a recommendation from Sussex Police, who opposed the application due to the restaurant’s “repeated breaches” of licensing regulations over the past seven years.
The restaurant is owned and managed by the Rahman family and employs several family members. In 2018 it was recognised as being the best Indian restaurant in East Sussex at the Curry Life Awards.
The application for the new licence was submitted in March by Fawjia Ltd, a company owned by Fawjia Rahman, the daughter of Siddiqur Rahman, who Sussex Police believe remains the true owner and decision-maker behind the restaurant.
In their objection to the application, Sussex Police highlighted Mr Rahman’s “significant failures in the management of the premises” over several years. These included “the employment of illegal workers and involvement in criminal activities.” They also gave details of a series of violent incidents involving members of the Rahman family, which led to serious injuries to members of the public and resulted in custodial sentences for three of the brothers. Additionally, they noted that the family had failed to pay nearly £100,000 in outstanding fines stemming from previous Immigration enforcement actions.
Police also warned that the three Rahman brothers, currently serving prison sentences, were expected to rejoin the family business upon their release.
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