The owners of a wedding business are to stand trial accused of ignoring an order from Fife Council banning them from conducting marriages on their land.
Ian Macallan, Ruth Macallan and Thomas Macallan, directors of Bonnie And Beau Ltd, deny operating against an enforcement order served to them by the local authority in the summer of 2019.
A trial has been set for March 2023.
Thomas Macallan, 69, was the only one of the three accused who appeared at an intermediate diet at Dundee Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
Ian, 38, and Ruth, 36, were absent, with their solicitor explaining the pair were carrying out “charitable” work in the African country of Zimbabwe.
Breach allegations
It is alleged the three conducted commercial weddings at Carphin House, Luthrie, between August 17 2019 and September 14 2019, both dates inclusive, on land designated by Fife Council as “Class 9” – typically reserved for housing.
As part of the charge, the three are also accused of using that land as “residential”, in contravention of the Town and Country Planning Act (Scotland).
Fife Council allegedly served an enforcement notice on the company, asking it to cease.
This enforcement notice, the procurator fiscal alleges, was ignored and the company “did fail to cease use of the land for operating a commercial wedding venue”, according to the charge.
All three have pled not guilty to the charges.
A trial has been set for March 21 2023, with an intermediate diet set for March 8.
All three accused are ordained to appear.
