A PUB which closed its doors during the pandemic has had its licence revoked for not paying its annual renewal fee.

Licensing bosses took the decision after being told attempts to contact the premises licence holder for the New Plough Inn, Tranent, had failed to get a response.

A report to East Lothian Licensing Board said annual fees were a condition of the licence and no payments had been made since August last year.

The report by the council’s licensing standards officer Karen Harling said multiple attempts to contact the licence holder had been made last month and a letter sent to the licensee advising them to appear before the board.

However no one appeared at today’s meeting of the board and no response had been recorded.

The board’s legal adviser Carlo Grilli told members: “I am aware the premises has been closed for over 18 months and there has been no contact made at all by the licence holder.

“We have tried to get hold of the licence holder to make payment or make enquiries but given that the premises has been closed for 18 months under our licensing policy the board would be asked to consider the revocation of this licence.”

Board members unanimously agreed to revoke the licence.