Curry houses facing staff 'crisis'

Immigration ministers have been urged to ease restrictions on Bangladeshi migrant workers in an attempt to help avert a crisis in Britain's curry houses.

At least 27,500 extra workers are needed if some of the nation's favourite meals such as chicken tikka masala are not to disappear from the high street, the Immigration Advisory Service (IAS) charity said.

The shortage, the result of the government's new immigration points-based system, has left Bangladeshi restaurants in serious trouble and facing irreparable damage, IAS chief executive Keith Best said.

Restrictions on lower-skilled migrants from outside the EU have left many Bangladeshis struggling to find work in Britain.

Limits have been tightened since eastern Europeans were given employment rights.