Council launches legal bid to bankrupt Reading Rooms

The city council has launched a legal bid to bankrupt a popular Dundee nightclub.

Lawyers for the local authority are bidding to have the Reading Rooms sequestrated over claims that it owes unpaid property tax.

The club’s owner, James Grieve, is named as the defender in papers lodged with Dundee Sheriff Court, but the total amount of money allegedly owed or the period to which the arrears relate has not been disclosed.

The civil action called at the court this week where a warrant was granted to cite Mr Grieve to appear.

The case will call again on August 4. Both Mr Grieve and the city council declined to comment when approached.

The case is understood to be related to claims that the club owes the city council non-domestic rates, a national property tax on all commercial properties administered by the local authority. The amount paid is calculated by multiplying the rateable value of the property by a percentage set by the Scottish Government, known as the poundage.