A Newquay club which has been turned into a music-free zone after breaching licensing regulations will serve as a warning to other south west venues, according to a music licensing company.

Pubs, clubs, commercial premises and anywhere else where music is played publicly in the west country have received a sharp warning from music licence organisation Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL) to ensure their music licences are up to date.

In the wake of a music ban and a legal costs bill of more than £2,000 imposed by the High Court on local night club proprietors who turned out to be licence dodgers, PPL warned: “Businesses that choose to play recorded music without a licence may face legal action and possibly hefty financial and other consequences as a result.”

That was what happened in the case of Newquay Leisure Ltd, Adam Smith and Richard Honey who were caught playing recorded copyrighted tracks at the Salt Nightclub at 1 Beach Road without a PPL licence.

The case went before one of the country’s top judges and he banned the proprietors – who were not in court and not represented - from playing music recorded music not just at Salt but at any premises they run until they bring their licences up to date. He also ordered them to pay £2,044 in legal costs run up by PPL in taking them to court.

Failure to obey the order and turn any premises they run into a music-free zone until all licence fees are brought up to date would be regarded as contempt of court, the penalties for which can be fines of up to £10,000 and up to six months prison for individuals responsible.

The pay-up or shut-up order was imposed after Mr Justice Newey heard that a PPL inspector heard music being played on the premises, when they did not hold a PPL licence. The inspector heard tracks including "House Every Weekend” and “GDFR" during his visit on 12 September.

Charlotte Scott, counsel for PPL, had told the judge that solicitors had sent letters to the premises informing them of the nature and extent of PPL's repertoire and the fact that the playing in public of sound recordings without PPL's licence or permission constitutes infringement of its copyright, and inviting them to acquire a licence.

The ban applies to all forms of mechanically recorded music such as records, tapes and CDs in PPL's repertoire.

Christine Geissmar, operations director, PPL said: “There is an intrinsic value that recorded music adds to businesses, and this judgement acknowledges that the performers of the music and record companies should be fairly rewarded.

“Businesses that choose to play recorded music without a licence may face legal action and financial and other consequences as a result. Legal action is only ever sought as a last resort where a business continues to play music following repeated attempts from PPL to get the correct licensing in place.

“PPL issues licences to hundreds of thousands of businesses and organisations across the UK when they play recorded music to their staff or customers.  Licensees include bars, nightclubs, shops, hotels, offices, factories, gyms, schools, universities and public sector organisations up and down the country.

“After the deduction of PPL’s running costs, all licence fee income is distributed to PPL’s record company and performer members. The majority are small businesses, all of whom are legally entitled to be fairly paid for the use of their recordings and performances. PPL does not retain a profit for its services.”