Representatives of celebrity chef Jamie Oliver’s restaurant and the Marriott and Hilton hotel chains will face a hearing over late or unpaid licensing fees today, along with dozens of other businesses operating in Aberdeen.
Councillors on the city’s licensing board have requested that all of the 42 companies named, including bars, restaurants, hotels and shops, explain why the annual payments have not been made on time.
It is understood that 11 of the premises named also had to be pursued for payment last year.
Letters had been sent out advising that fees had to be paid by October 1.
In the case of non-payment, the board has a list of options to consider including a warning, suspension or, in the most serious cases, revoking a premise’s licence.
Under the Licensing (Scotland) Act 2005, anyone selling alcohol must pay an annual fee, calculated on the rateable value of the business.
Aberdeen solicitor Tony Dawson said unpaid fees caused a lot of unnecessary work for local licensing boards.
The vast majority of licence holders are expected to pay up, he said, while there are often “good reasons” put forward for non-payment.
It is understood that some of the companies named on the list to appear may have already paid since the board’s agenda was published.
Other venues include the Malt Mill bar on Holburn Street and the Viva Brazil restaurant at Golden Square.