A RESTAURANT has avoided losing its licence after employing four illegal workers... because it is so “well regarded” by customers.

Castle Point Council threw Benfleet’s Aspera restaurant a lifeline because of how popular it is.

In October, officers carried out checks on the London Road eaterie and found four men working illegally.

They included two Kazakhstani men, aged 21 and 25, who overstayed their visas, a 30-year-old Turkish man who was working in breach of his visa conditions and a 30-year-old Iranian man who was a failed asylum seeker.

The council report states: “We take note the restaurant is established in the community and well regarded by residents and its customers and we do not wish to deprive the community of the opportunity to visit the restaurant but what has happened cannot happen again and we have given serious consideration to revoking the premises licence due to the circumstance.”

It comes after Basildon Council revoked the alcohol licence held by Turkish eaterie Menad, in Billericay, after it was found to have employed four illegal workers.

The Castle Point Council report added: “On this occasion however we have determined to provide the business with one final chance to remain part of this community and make amends for its failure to observe the licensing objective relating to the prevention of crime.”

The authority has imposed conditions on the restaurant, which state it must operate a full HR management system, that staff are not employed without right to work in the UK, that copies of documents for staff are kept for two years after employment end and are available to police, immigration or licensing officers.