THE owners of a Cardigan business have been hit with a music ban and legal bill for more than £2,500 for playing music there without a licence.

One of the country’s top judges, Mr Justice Zacaroli imposed the order at London’s High Court on Abdul Mosabbir and Sudrunnesa Mosabbir, proprietors of Indian restaurant Abdul’s Tandoori Spice at Royal Oak, Quay Street.

They were caught playing recorded copyrighted tracks without a licence from the Performing Right Society (PRS).

The decision also serves a warning to all other businesses in the area where music is played publicly to get their music licences in order.

The pay-up or shut-up order was imposed after the judge was told that a PRS inspector heard copyrighted music being played on August 16 last year when no PRS licence had been issued for the premises.

The judge was told that the failure to remedy the licence position "suggests an intention to continue the infringing activities".

He granted a court order banning infringement of the PRS copyright and at the same time ordered the defendants to pay the £2,561 legal costs run up by PRS in taking the matter to court.

Failure to obey the order and turn any premises the pair 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.

The PRS is a non-profit making organisation which collects licence fees for public performances of music and then distributes the cash among composers and music publishers.

It represents the only practical way copyright fees can be collected for public performances.