TV LICENSING is targeting more than 2,000 businesses in Bolton who are dodging paying to watch the small screen.

The authority has drawn up a Business Blacklist of firms which research has shown to be the most likely to be breaking the law by not being properly licensed.

TV Licensing will be warning them that they risk prosecution, a trip to court and a fine of up to £1,000 if they need a licence but do not have one.

Spokeswoman Deborah Copeland said: "More companies than ever before in Bolton have a TV at work, but our research shows that many businesses may not be properly licensed.

"Often this is because people at work think someone else is responsible for buying the TV licence, but in the end no one does.

"With the prospect of a trip to court and a £1000 fine this could be an expensive and embarrassing mistake to make."

Independent research shows that half of all small business finance directors do not know whether or not they need a TV licence, while two thirds do not know who in their company would be responsible for buying one.

This drive will be supported by an advertising campaign targeted at blacklisted industry sectors, this is the first time that TV Licensing has advertised direct to businesses.

TV Licensing has a database of more than 28 million addresses which identifies any business or domestic address that is unlicensed. Teams of enquiry officers on the ground catch more than 1,000 evaders every day.

At present 93 per cent of addresses across the UK are correctly licensed.