Noble House owner Albert Choi admits mistakes over three illegal kitchen staff which led to immigration raid and loss of licence

Albert Choi, the owner of Noble House in Osborne Road, said the business was 'suffering' because of the removal of permission to sell alcohol by Portsmouth City Council, but that the warning of his solicitor who said the business would no longer be financially viable had not come to pass.

'Thankfully our customers have been great and are still supporting us,' he said. 'Of course, not being able to sell alcohol means we've taken a hit but it was never our main focus - we are a restaurant and food has always been the biggest thing.'

The licence was revoked at a council licensing sub-committee meeting in March in response to a Home Office request to take ‘strong’ action against the business due to Mr Choi's conduct during its raid.

Three illegal workers, who had been housed in the flat above the restaurant, were found ‘dressed in chef’s whites and aprons’ at the time of their visit in October.

Lead officer David Newcomb said Mr Choi had ‘shouted at and harangued’ immigration officers and said he would have arrested him had he had more staff. ‘He was saying things like “he had friends in high places” and was clearly trying to intimidate us,’ he said.

Mr Choi had been supported by a number of high-profile figures, including Admiral Sir Jonathon Band; and the ex-chief executive of Portsmouth FC, Mark Catlin.

Admiral Sir Jonathon, first sea lord and chief of the naval staff from 2006 until 2009, said in his statement that Mr Choi 'provides thoughtful leadership to the city's Chinese community' and that he is 'an individual of good character and behaviour'.

Sub-committee chairman Scott Payter-Harris said the council had to take the issue ‘seriously’ and that ‘repeated breaches’ – with illegal workers having also been found at the restaurant in two raids a decade earlier – ‘had to be addressed’.

‘It is incredulous to suggest that Mr Choi knew nothing of the employment of those he had arranged accommodation for and they were clearly working in his presence at the time of the inspection’ he said.

An appeal against the decision was immediately launched with solicitor Jon Wallsgrove saying it would financially ruin the business.

‘Revocation of the premises licence would have a serious financial consequence for Mr Choi,’ he said. ‘It would effectively mean the restaurant would have to close as it would not be financially viable to only operate until 11pm without the sale of alcohol.'

Despite this, the appeal was withdrawn in June with Mr Choi saying he could not afford to lose it.

'It would've cost tens of thousands of pounds had we lost and the review had already cost a lot of money,' Mr Choi said. 'Because of our mistake we weren't going to win so we withdrew the appeal.

'We have to live with the decision and will carry on. Hopefully in the future we will reapply for our licence.'