Fountains Bar & nightclub in Llandudno was ordered by a High Court Judgement to pay £10,000 to cover legal fees alongside £7,882 for outstanding music licence fees.
Mr Justice Peter Smith imposed the order after hearing that the defendant and owner of the bar, Mr Farhook Jhurry, persistently failed to comply with the legal requirement for a PPL music licence after being repeatedly contacted and given ample opportunity to rectify the situation.
The order and warning from Mr Justice Smith follows Mr Jhurry’s breach of an earlier injunction granted to PPL in 2013. That original injunction was granted when it became clear that Fountains was using recorded music as one of the main attractions for its clientele without a PPL licence.
Christine Geissmar, operations director at PPL, said: “There is an intrinsic value that music adds to businesses, particularly in the hospitality and leisure sector, and this judgement acknowledges that the creators of the music should be fairly rewarded for this.
“This landmark ruling demonstrates how seriously the courts treat copyright infringement and reiterates that music can only be played in public if the right licences are obtained. Those businesses that choose to play recorded music without a licence will face legal action and possibly hefty financial and other consequences as a result.”