Westminster Nail Bar with Faulty CCTV and Suspected Illegal Worker Allowed to Stay Open
A Central London nail bar that repeatedly violated its licensing conditions and employed a suspected illegal worker has been permitted to continue operating. Westminster City Council renewed The Nail Garden Leicester Square's special treatment licence until August this year, citing that clear steps had been taken to improve the business, according to a written decision.
Council Decision and Conditions
The council's licensing committee stated that the renewal struck a reasonable balance by providing the premises additional time to rectify operational issues and monitor progress within a relatively short timeframe. In a decision issued on January 21, the committee recommended that city inspectors revisit the premises before August to ensure it meets higher standards.
Council inspectors had initially urged the committee to deny the licence renewal after discovering multiple violations. These included operation by unqualified staff, a faulty CCTV system that failed to record or retain images, and the alleged hiring of a worker using a fake passport, as detailed in a council report.
Owner's Response and Improvements
Trang Thi Thu Do, the owner of the nail bar located at 31 Whitcomb Street, addressed the committee by outlining corrective measures. She reported installing new CCTV, implementing updated staff rotas and menus, appointing a dedicated manager, and ensuring all staff have their identification and qualifications readily available for inspection. Additionally, she translated the full licence into Vietnamese to enhance comprehension among employees.
Do attributed many of the issues identified by inspectors to a lack of English-speaking staff and accused the previous manager of dishonesty. She emphasized her commitment to compliance and operational improvements moving forward.
Inspection Findings and Violations
Inspectors first visited the premises in July 2025, uncovering several critical issues:
- An exposed electric cable on the ground
- A CCTV system that was non-functional, failing to record or store footage
- Failure to record customer names for treatments
- Operation by an untrained staff member in the owner's absence without proper authorization
The licence holder, who stated English was not their first language and admitted to not fully understanding the licence terms, promised to translate the document into Vietnamese within seven days and present it to staff at both venues in the borough. They explained that on the day of the inspection, they had left to take family members to the airport, delegating supervision to their most experienced nail technician.
Follow-Up Inspection and Suspected Illegal Worker
After a July warning about an impending unannounced visit, inspectors returned in October. They found the duty manager overseeing the venue with only one other worker. Initially, there was no evidence of the worker's qualifications, and when identification was requested, inspectors raised suspicions about the authenticity of the provided passport.
The worker denied any wrongdoing but could not recall his date of birth when questioned. Inspectors concluded in their report: We do not believe that the man seen was who he claimed to be, we have no evidence that the man seen had any relevant training or qualifications for manicure, and we believe that the duty manager knew full well what was going on and she tried to deceive us.
The licence holder later informed officers that they believed the man had provided valid photo ID and claimed he was authorized to work in the UK.
Ongoing Scrutiny and Future Compliance
Westminster City Council has mandated that The Nail Garden Leicester Square must apply to renew its licence in August, with inspectors scheduled to conduct a follow-up visit before then to verify compliance with licensing standards. This case highlights the council's approach of balancing enforcement with opportunities for businesses to correct violations, particularly in cases involving language barriers and operational misunderstandings.
The nail bar's ability to remain open underscores the complexities of licensing enforcement in diverse urban settings, where cultural and linguistic challenges can impact regulatory adherence. The council's decision reflects a measured strategy aimed at fostering improvement while maintaining public safety and legal standards.
