Sir Alex Ferguson’s favourite restaurant fined £56,000 after illegal workers raid

Cibo, the upmarket Italian restaurant in Hale, Greater Manchester, has been fined £56,000 after a Home Office raid found employees without valid permission to work in the United Kingdom. Three staff members were arrested on suspicion of working illegally, and investigators later confirmed that one former employee had worked at the restaurant for about three years under a false identity and without a right to work.

The Home Office raid followed an intelligence-led visit during which officers asked to see all employees’ documents after a tip-off that some workers did not have the right paperwork. The restaurant said some staff were on trial shifts rather than full-time employees, a point highlighted by Trafford Council in its licensing review.

Trafford Council’s licensing sub-committee said the premises licence holder had replaced the designated premises supervisor since the incident and had withdrawn an appeal against the civil penalty after consulting with advisers. The panel noted discrepancies between what staff told investigators and the duration of their work, and it stressed the importance of robust employment checks going forward. The license holder also acknowledged weaknesses in the process and has since revised procedures while continuing to seek professional guidance.

The civil penalty requires the restaurant to verify the right to work for all staff, to conduct right-to-work checks on new hires, to ensure workers are registered with HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for tax and National Insurance purposes, to pay wages through a bank account, and to keep employee records for five years. Trafford Council said the restaurant would face further conditions if future violations occurred.

Cibo has indicated it will comply with the penalty and has engaged authorities to improve its employment practices. Comment requests were directed to Cibo, Trafford Council, and the Home Office.

The case comes amid broader national debate on immigration and border policy. In recent days, Prime Minister and other government officials have highlighted the need for stricter border controls and measures aimed at reducing illegal working, including plans for digital identity verification. Separately, Labour leader Keir Starmer has argued that immigration concerns should be a focal point of policy discussions, a topic that has featured prominently in ongoing political discourse. The issue of illegal working has periodically resurfaced as a point of contention in UK politics and in local enforcement actions.