Immigration officers swooped on a Mediterranean restaurant in Whitecross Street EC1 on the evening of 1 September in what looked to customers like a coordinated 'sting' operation.
We were sitting at an outside table enjoying what we grandly call an apéritif (a quick drink before we head home for an M&S curry) at Iskelé when a posse of around six chunky officers in black uniforms stomped noisily through the front door in single file while others stationed themselves in pairs at strategic points outside of the restaurant.
From my seat I could see one of the officers inside checking a bundle of papers, which I guessed to be the employment documentation for the people working there. The checking and talking continued for some time. None of the customers seemed bothered by what we felt was an air of menace and aggression. At one point, officers hurried out of the front of the restaurant and scuttled to the rear. They had, I assume, twigged that anyone trying to abscond from the premises would head that way. In fact, anyone trying to abscond would have given them the slip long ago such was the dim-wittedness of those in charge.
From my seat I could see one of the officers inside checking a bundle of papers, which I guessed to be the employment documentation for the people working there. The checking and talking continued for some time. None of the customers seemed bothered by what we felt was an air of menace and aggression. At one point, officers hurried out of the front of the restaurant and scuttled to the rear. They had, I assume, twigged that anyone trying to abscond from the premises would head that way. In fact, anyone trying to abscond would have given them the slip long ago such was the dim-wittedness of those in charge.
The Iskelé is a Mediterranean mezze/grill outfit serving locals and visitors to the nearby Barbican Centre. It gets 4.5 stars on Tripadvisor and is well used by the area's residents, who enjoy its friendly family style and polite service. Its kebabs and tagines are glorious, but top prize goes to its "chilli sauce", which is actually a chilli salsa of chopped chillies, onion, tomato and no doubt some other secret ingredient that makes it an essential item on any food order. We ask for it regardless of what we are eating.
We once enjoyed a long conversation with The Isekelé's owner — or at least he said he was the owner. We talked about the fantastic coloured lamps they have hanging from the ceiling. He said he got them through family and friends in Egypt. He promised to get us one, but we never saw him again.
He also talked about the area at the junction of Whitecross Street and Banner Street ,where he has business interests in a dry cleaners, and Italian restaurant, Cozzo, and a cafe, the Market Restaurant, opposite The Iskelé. Next door to the Market Restaurant cafe was an ailing tailors, which specialised in alterations and custom-made clothes. The business closed recently and The Iskelé group of businesses now use the shop as a storage space.
He also talked about the area at the junction of Whitecross Street and Banner Street ,where he has business interests in a dry cleaners, and Italian restaurant, Cozzo, and a cafe, the Market Restaurant, opposite The Iskelé. Next door to the Market Restaurant cafe was an ailing tailors, which specialised in alterations and custom-made clothes. The business closed recently and The Iskelé group of businesses now use the shop as a storage space.
What prompted the immigration raid, I can only guess, though I suspect that this type of operation is likely to be common in areas of London such as Edgware Road and Brick Lane. Some see them as a direct result of Home Office policy in the past under Theresa May (now Prime Minister), which embedded a "hostile approach" to outsiders. I guess also that the trend is likely to continue up to and after Brexit. This evening, even as customers, we somehow felt bullied.
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