A YORK guest house owner, who displayed plaques outside his business falsely claiming accreditation to Yorkshire and national tourism bodies, has appeared in court.

Nicholas Read, 39, also admitted his website had misled people into thinking he had a fully licensed bar at the Saxon House guest house, in Fulford Road, which in October last year was not the case.

Officers from City of York Council visited the defendant’s guest house following complaints of claims there was a fully licensed bar, on the website.

City of York Council trading standards officer Anthony Dean said they asked that the claims be removed.

“The guest house was still advertising a licensed bar on a further check,” he said.

“The officers went to the guest house and took photographs of two plaques on the wall displaying a Three Diamond quality award from the English Tourism Council and membership of the Yorkshire Tourism Board.

“The defendant was invited to attend an interview, which Mr Read asked to be postponed while he received legal advice, but no response was received.

“A second request from officers also received no response.”

He concluded: “This is not only misleading customers, but gaining a competitive advantage on other traders by making these claims.”

Mr Dean told the bench accreditation to the two tourism bodies was in place at the time the business was purchased, but had since lapsed.

Read, of the guest house, pleaded guilty to three charges under unfair trading laws. He was fined £1,320 with £844 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. In mitigation, he defended the quality of his business and disputed claims that he had not contacted trading standards to arrange a meeting, saying he had called them six times and received no response.

On the lack of an alcohol licence, Read said: “The bar was appalling when I bought it and we should never have advertised it.

“We took it out and completely refurbished it and what we did at the time was offer guests a complimentary bottle of wine, or offered to pay for drinks at two nearby pubs.”

Julie Brookes, chairman of the bench, told Read: “This was in your interest to sort these things out.

“You are a businessman and you should have known these things.”