BORDERS pubs, clubs and off-licences that have neglected to pay their licence fees face being pulled up in front of the council next month.

Some 45 businesses have so far failed to cough up the money, due since October 1.

The annual fees range from £220 to £800, depending on the rateable value of the business.

Some of the more well-known establishments, which face having their licences revoked if they won’t pay, include: the Warehouse nightclub in Galashiels; the MacDonald Cardrona Hotel, at Cardrona; Gala Rugby Club; Melrose Golf Club; Duns Rugby Club; Lychee Restaurant in Peebles; Tweedside Hotel in Innerleithen; Castle Hotel in Coldstream; and the clubrooms at Hawick Royal Albert Football Club.

However, some of the establishments have ceased trading, such as the High Level Bar in Hawick, Selkirk Football Club and the Keg in Peebles, leading to them appearing to the local authority as defaulting on their payments.

Councillors, meeting as part of Scottish Borders Council’s licensing board on Friday (November 16), were incensed that so many trading establishments had not paid their dues.

Hawick and Hermitage councillor George Turnbull said: “I find this really frustrating. There’s 45 establishments here.

“I know some have ceased trading, and one or two are having business troubles, but the others I just find totally inexcusable. There’s really no excuse for these to remain unpaid, it’s ridiculous.”

Ian Tunnah, a licensing officer for Scottish Borders Council, informed councillors: “The simple fact is that this is a list of premises who haven’t paid their fee as of October 1. They are required to pay that fee under the terms of their licence.

“If fees are left unpaid, there are two routes which can be taken. One is for our officers to serve compliance notices on these premises, or for yourselves to simply review the licences.

“Everybody gets a reminder in September. We also give everyone the chance to pay in quarterly instalments. It’s still due on October 1.”

Councillors unanimously agreed that the unpaid licences would be reviewed at the next meeting of the licensing board on Friday, December 14, if licence holders had still failed to pay up by then.

Councillor Turnbull added: “I’d like to know if there’s a surcharge for this, because we’re now doing extra work following up on these payments.

“If you don’t tax your car, you’ve broken the law. If you’re selling alcohol, you’ve broken the law if you haven’t paid your due fees.

“I think it’s time to take a far harder stance. There will be some valid reasons, but I just think we need to take a far firmer hand in light of there being 45 names on this list.”

The names of establishments which were on the list for failing to pay their licence fees:

The Allan Ramsay, Carlops

Glentress Hotel, Innerleithen

Kailzie Garden Restaurant, Peebles

Keg, Peebles

Lychee Restaurant, Peebles

MacDonald Cardrona Hotel, Cardrona

Tweedside Hotel, Innerleithen

West Linton Bowling Club, West Linton

Castle Hotel, Coldstream

Costcutter, Duns

Country Store, Reston

Craw Inn, Auchencrow

Cross Inn, Paxton

Cross Keys, Greenlaw

Duns RFC, Duns

Gordon Arms, Gordon

Greenlaw Store, Greenlaw

Naba Tandoori, Eyemouth

A to Z Superstore, Selkirk

Buccleuch Living Heritable Trust, Selkirk

Costcutter, Earlston

Cross Keys Inn, Lilliesleaf

Gala RFC, Galashiels

Gala Tandoori Indian Restaurant, Galashiels

Grapevine Now Your Talking, Galashiels

H20 & The Italian Restaurant, Galashiels

Heatherlie House Hotel, Selkirk

Melrose Golf Club, Melrose

Monte Casino Restaurant, Melrose

New Happy Gathering Chinese, Selkirk

Newtown St Boswells Bowling Club, Newtown St Boswells

Provender, Melrose

Selkirk Football Club, Selkirk

Spar, Selkirk

Warehouse, Galashiels

1905 (formerly Red Lion), Kelso

Hawick Bowling Club, Hawick

Hawick Royal Albert FC Clubrooms, Hawick

High Level Bar, Hawick

Railway Tavern, Jedburgh

Saffron Tandoori Restaurant, Hawick

Sonia’s Bridge House Bistro, Hawick

Stag’s Head Bar, Hawick

The Capon Tree Town House, Jedburgh

The Taste of Bengal, Hawick