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
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