Angus pubs and clubs could be fined for failing to pay their annual licence fees on time.
It comes after almost 70 premises didn’t stump up this year’s dues.
Licensing councillors have warned they are effectively unable to trade without an up-to-date licence.
And they want to look at hitting repeat offenders in the wallet to get the message across.
Almost £20,000 unpaid by deadline
A list of premises which had failed to pay their annual fee by the October 1 deadline was presented to licensing board members.
The fees due totalled almost £20,000.
Renewal is a legal requirement under the Licensing (Scotland) Act.
But every year board members vent their frustration at premises which break the rules.
Last year some fees were still overdue after six months.
The board now want officials to look at direct debit or standing order being made available to the Angus licensed trade.
And legal chiefs have been asked to investigate whether a fine might also be applied.
76p-a-day fee on average
Forfar Conservative councillor Ross Greig said: “Looking at this list, 20 of the premises have featured again from last year.
“I understand for a lot of business money is tight, but effectively having not paid they’re not licensed.
“On average the licence is £280 a year – that’s 76p a day, which in the grand scheme of things isn’t a huge amount of money.
“Can we introduce a non-compliance fine?”
Non-payers will now be called to a special licensing board meeting in early December.
But board chairman George Meechan admitted many will have paid up by then.
“It’s a fair old pile of licence holders who have not paid their annual fee,” he said.
“We’ve brought the board together and we’re agreeing to hold a hearing.
“What we’ll find quite clearly on December 5 is by that date most of the money will have been paid.
“But we need to go through this and it is costing Angus Council a fair amount of time and money.”
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