Illegal Worker Employed at Northolt Store for Over a Year

AKP Retailer's licence suspended for four weeks after series of breaches

AKP Retailer is at 51 Oldfields Circus. Picture: Google Streetview

May 20, 2026

A convenience store in Northolt has had its licence suspended after employing an illegal worker for below minimum wage. Inspectors also found what they suspected to be Khat (a Class C drug) and non-duty paid alcohol on the premises.

AKP Retailer at 51 Oldfields Circus was visited by Ealing Council licensing officers and Home Office immigration officers in November last year. Officers detained one employee who was an illegal entrant with no right to work in the UK.

The individual told officers that he typically worked 24-48 hours per week, and he was being paid £6.50 per hour in cash. This is almost 50 per cent lower than the minimum wage at the time which was £12.21 per hour.

Mr Paskaralingam (the licence holder’s husband) fully admitted to employing the male, paying him in cash, and failing to check his legal status or right to work. Joining the hearing from a car, a family member of Mr and Mrs Paskarlingam told the committee that he was only given the job because the couple were trying to help him.

The Paskaralingams were fined £28,000 by the Home Office and have paid the penalty in full. The illegal worker was employed by the family for 14 months.

Additionally, an inspection of a white van parked outside, which males were seen unloading into the shop, contained 820 illicit cigarettes and two 50g pouches of roll-your-own tobacco hidden in the glove box and a shopping bag. The family says this was not to be sold, rather they were “just holding onto it for someone else, but we took the blame.”

When questioned about the suspected Khat found on the premises, Mr Paskarlingam said it was Sri Lankan tobacco, and said he had sold it before and had stopped selling it. The family say they thought it was legal.

Officers also found three one-litre bottles of High Commissioner whiskey on the shelves with “UK duty paid” labels glued over the original labels indicating that duty was not paid on the alcohol. Mr Paskarlingam says he purchased these from a man who came to the shop, although did not intend to sell them and thought they were originally from Sainsbury’s – despite the bottles being found on the shelves.

The inspection also revealed that AKP Retailer had taken over the adjacent shop unit, doubling the store’s size. No notification or application for a new licence had been received for this expansion, however the family insisted that the council planning department had been made aware, and they say they had documents to prove this.

In total, five licensing conditions were breached, including keeping alcohol stored on shelves, prohibition from selling single cans of beer and cider, and signage requesting patrons leave quietly. The family told councillors this has all been rectified since the visit in November 2025.

Returning the decision, Cllr Rima Baaklini said: “The panel were reassured by the premises licence holder that steps had been taken immediately to remedy the issues raised by the licensing authority… however the panel viewed that training was necessary to ensure that the premises was fully [able to] uphold the licensing objectives.”

The off licence will lose its licence for four weeks, meaning it cannot sell alcohol, tobacco or any other licensable products. This is to allow for the family and other employees to undertake licensing training.

Additional conditions include no bottles of beer, larger or cider above 6 per cent should be kept at, stored at or sold anywhere in the premises. The store will not be allowed to sell single bottles of cider or beer.

Philip James Lynch - Local Democracy Reporter