Maidstone’s only gay and lesbian pub has been banned from playing music and ordered to pay more than £1,600 in legal costs after it was found to be operating without the correct licence.

The Queen Anne must become a music-free zone after it was found to be playing copyrighted music without a valid licence from music royalties collectors Phonographic Performance Ltd (PPL).

Mr Justice Norris ruled in favour of PPL at London’s High Court after being told how an inspector visited the premises in Queen Anne Road in July and heard tracks including Hey Now (Girls Just Want To Have Fun) by Cyndi Lauper, Dancing on the Ceiling by Lionel Ritchie and Can’t Get Enough Of Your Love Babe by Barry White.

Caladium Ltd, which runs the premises and was not represented at the hearing, will now have to cease playing music until their licence has been brought up to date. The company has also been hit with a legal bill for £1,661.

Failure to obey the order will 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 any individuals responsible.

The management of the Queen Anne pub was unavailable for comment.

Ashton Chantrielle representing PPL said solicitors had sent letters to the premises informing the company of the nature and extent of its repertoire and that playing music in public without a licence or permission constitutes infringement of its copyright.

In order to play copyrighted music, clubs must acquire a licence from PPL who own the rights to the vast majority of chart hits.

Nazneen Nawaz, a spokesman for PPL, explained that the company provides licences to thousands of businesses in the UK, with payments distributed between artists once the company’s running costs are deducted.