A FAMOUS nightspot in Rossendale has been silenced for playing chart hits without a licence.

Inspectors swooped on the Rhythm Station, in New Hall Hey Road, Rawtenstall, after a tip-off they were illegally playing copyrighted music.

And a High Court hearing in London was told that an inspector heard songs including Bulletproof by La Roux, I Got A Feeling by Black-Eyed Peas and rap group D4L’s Laffy Taffy.

Thomas St Quintin, representing watchdog Phonographic Performance Ltd, said warning letters had been issued to the nightclub by solicitors, informing them of the need for a licence to play copyrighted recordings.

Now Mr Justice Warren has temporarily banned club proprietor Guy Cornwell and Allied Logistics Ltd from playing music at the Station House club.

They also face a legal costs bill of £1,801.

The nightclub was told it could not play any more recorded music until they bring performance licences up-to-date.

If the premises does not remain music-free until the licence position is clarified, then the promoters could face fines of up to £10,000 or two-year prison sentences.

The ban applies to all forms of recorded music such as records, tapes and CDs covered by the PPL, which covers 97 per cent of all music.

A PPL spokesman said: “Whenever you play a sound recording in public, there are two separate licence fees to be paid.

“We distributes our licence fees to record companies, recording artists and musicians, and the Performing Rights Society collects a separate licence fee which they distribute to composers and music publishers.”

No-one from the Rhythm Station was available for comment.