EAST Lancashire landlords have been warned to get an entertainment licence ahead of a spate of inspections to be carried out before Christmas.

Pubs could face fines of thousands of pounds from Blackburn with Darwen Council if they are found to be without the appropriate license.

Westminster City Council fined Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries £5,000 when officials saw people dancing in two central London Pitcher and Piano pubs last week.

The brewery pleaded guilty and was fined £2,500 for each offence plus costs of £1,600 because the two pubs did not have an entertainment licence.

The licensing laws are currently under review in Parliament and could see control shifting away from magistrates to local councils.

Although some argue this would remove a lot of red tape, others claim that it would give councils too much political control and the power to ban live musicians.

Denise Johnson, Blackburn with Darwen Council's environmental health manager, said: "Our staff carry out regular enforcement visits in partnership with the police.

"Some took place last week and more are planned before Christmas."

Adrian Taylor, partner at Manchester law firm Rowe Cohen, specialises in licensing law. He said pubs should get their houses in order or face huge fines.

"Its reasonable to assume that drinkers will be in the mood for dancing this Christmas so pubs across Lancashire must obtain the correct licences," he said.

"Council officials will be on premises that don't have a public entertainment licence to catch landlords red-handed.

"Having a licence is a small price to pay for ensuring this year's festivities aren't spoiled by party-poopers."

A spokesperson for the British Beer and Pub Association said: "A public entertainment licence covers music and things of this nature.

"If people are dancing they are understood to be entertained, it's the way the law works.

"But the licence procedures are currently under review in Parliament so the changes we should see should remove a lot of the red tape because at the moment it is quite time consuming and costly."