The order was made at Basildon Magistrates Court on Monday 7 August 2017.
According to the council, Shaun O’Donoghue, the owner of the now closed-down pub the Belvedere, in Hardings Elms Road, Billericay, was claiming for the period the council were charging him business rates that the property was occupied by several different third-party companies, which he had leases with.
The business rates department at Basildon Council said it made numerous enquiries and visits to the property before sending bills to O'Donoghue.
Large loss of money
The council said O’Donoghue argued he had lease agreements with companies and that they should be liable to pay the business rates.
"As each of these companies had since gone into liquidation, the balance due to the council would have to be written off, meaning a large loss of money to the authority," a spokesman for the council added.
"The magistrate agreed with the council that the lease agreements had been created to avoid paying business rates. O’Donoghue was ordered to pay the full amount due, which includes costs."
A liability order was also granted by the magistrates, increasing the avenues by which Basildon Council can recover the monies due.