DAMAGE totalling more than £1,000 was carried out by club promoters who inscribed an advert on a Grade II listed building, a court was told.

Council chiefs discovered adverts “chiseled” into stonework at three locations around Newcastle promoting The Cut bar which is located in St Nicholas Street, Newcastle.

Two sites on Collingwood Street, one outside the Subway restaurant and another on a Grade II listed pillar, were targeted during the advertising. Newcastle University’s Framlington Place dental hospital was also used as a platform to promote the event.

But council bosses have been left to foot the bill after Tokyo Industries (Five) Ltd, which owns the premises and make an annual profit of £100,000, was cleared of causing the damage during a trial at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court.

Magistrates branded the company “irresponsible” after their logo was used, but said there was no evidence to prove they had commissioned or known about the damage.

Director James Jukes told the hearing that a promoter who hired the venue had carried out the damage but they were unable to provide details of their identity.

He said the company did not possess a template branded with the words The Cut and had not given permission for it to be used.

He said: “We operate the venue mainly through the sale of alcohol but most of our nights are done by private promoters.

“They will hire the venue and we will provide security staff, bar staff and the sale of liquor. But they will look after the adverts and the music.”

He added: “Naturally, when it came to light we asked the question and investigated it but it was nothing to do with our management.”

He said the club relied on a promoter’s reputation and would only take the person’s first name and a contact number. He believed the promoter was from Leeds. Mr Jukes said that following the incident they now took photocopies of the promoter’s identification.

On May 26 an email was sent to the company from a Newcastle City Council enforcement officer in which they were cautioned.

Just seven hours later company director Rob Cameron responded. In his email he wrote: “We have only just been made aware of it. The adverts were not chiseled but were jet washed. A stonemason will have to look at it and come back to me.”

The company denied three counts of criminal damage, three counts of aiding and abetting criminal damage and three counts of fly-posting. They were cleared of all charges.

It admitted one charge of failing to notify the council of a change of address and were fined £170 and ordered to pay a £15 victim surcharge and £100 costs.

Last night Mr Jukes released a statement saying: “Although we are not responsible, the incident was unfortunate. As a result we’ve put policies in place in terms of contacts of the promoters.”

Stephen Savage, the council’s director of regulatory services and public protection, said: “The council will continue to pursue legal action in respect of matters of environmental crime and we are concerned that on this occasion the managers of the premises concerned were unaware of the damage caused by those renting the premises.”