RESTAURANT owners have warned a new points-based immigration system could be the “nail in the coffin” for businesses up and down the country.

Naimesh Patel said the catering industry was being “demonised” by the Government with a warped perception of what an unskilled worker was.

Mr Patel is a joint owner of Manjus in Trafalgar Street, Brighton, a family-run Gujarati restaurant.

The 48-year-old said: “Working in catering has to be about passion, there are many easier ways to make money, you should only go into it if it is what you love.

“You are working weekends, long hours, it’s a lot of grafting.

“The new points system goes on about unskilled workers but to work in a restaurant requires a lot of skill, otherwise everybody would be doing it - you wouldn’t need to go out to eat.”

The changes are being implemented by the Home Office, with Conservative MP Priti Patel as Home Secretary

Her grandparents were born in the Indian state of Gujurat, the same as the family of the restaurant’s head chef, Manju Patel.

Manju mastered the Gujurati style of cooking and always wanted to be a chef, but had never been able to fulfil this dream.

After years working in factories to feed her family, her sons and daughter-in-law surprised her by buying her the Trafalgar Street site for her 80th birthday - she remains the head chef at the age of 83.

Mr Patel said: “My mum has been cooking for 70 years and has mastered the cuisine, it’s a skill.

“Priti Patel is a politician and has a certain skill set, we also have a skill set.

“I would love to switch jobs and see how long she would last.

“In Europe being a waiter is considered a good job.

“Here in the UK it’s considered something a student does, there’s a massive difference in how people see it.

“The Government also seems to be demonising the catering industry. It’s seen to be something you do between jobs and it’s not, it’s a passion.

“It’s one of the biggest industries in the UK. To make it hard for the industry seems a really stupid thing to do.

“It’s tough to run a restaurant and it’s going to get even more tough.”

Other members of the restaurant’s team are from England, India, France and Mauritius.

Mr Patel said: “Recruiting in catering is hard enough as it is, we have a very high bar for who we employ.

“All of our staff have degrees, but that is not our criteria to meet when we are looking for staff.

“We look for integrity, hard work and intelligence. Having a degree doesn’t necessarily mean you have these things.

“Staff also need to be intelligent in life rather than just having a piece of paper that says you are clever - and it shouldn’t matter where you come from.”

The new system will require migrants to earn 70 points to apply to work in the UK.

Prospective candidates can earn 20 points for being offered a job by an approved sponsor, having a job at an appropriate skill level, earning a salary of more than £25,600, having a job in a designated shortage occupation or having a PhD in a science, technology, engineering and maths subject relevant to the job they are applying for.

Ten points are awarded for speaking English at the required level, earning a salary of between £23,040 and £25,599 and having a PhD in a subject relevant to the job.

A Home Office spokesman said: “We’re ending free movement, taking back control of our borders and delivering on the people’s priorities by introducing a new UK points-based immigration system.

“The new system will prioritise the skills people have to offer and how they will contribute to the UK’s economy, not where they come from.

“Employers will need to join our mission to level-up skills and economic growth across the whole UK so that we deliver a high-skill, high-wage and highly productive economy.”

But Mr Patel questioned the system and called for a re-think.

He said: “I don’t think the new system has been thought through properly at all. These are people’s livelihoods at the end of the day, they put their money, graft, sweat and blood into their businesses. For them to have to call it a day would be heartbreaking.”

His thoughts were echoed by fellow restaurants in the city following the government’s announcement.