Business owners are being warned that if anyone watches or records programmes - even on a mobile phone - they need to buy a TV licence.

Any business that shows television programmes as they’re being shown, whether for customers’ use or in staff areas, must be covered.

The call comes after a hairdresser was recently fined £530 by magistrates for not having a licence.

Mark Whitehouse, TV licensing spokesperson for East Anglia, said: “We appreciate these are tough times for businesses, but to be fair to the majority who do pay the licence fee, we have to take action against those who watch TV illegally.

“Those businesses who do try to get away with it might find the price of being caught to be higher than just a fine.

“We’d rather businesses think ahead and check if they need a licence than risk being prosecuted.

“A licence costs £145.50 and can be bought in minutes online.”

Programmes on television, irrespective of the channel, the device they’re using or how they receive them could lead to a fine if there is no licence in place.

They could be watching on a computer, laptop or phone and receiving via terrestrial, satellite, cable or the Internet.

One licence usually covers all the TV equipment on a single site.

The only exception is hotels, which have separate requirements.

However, if you sub-let any part of your premises to another business or have an on-site social or welfare club, then it will need its own separate licence.

It does not cover residential accommodation on-site or within the premises.

TV Licensing officers visited more than 30,000 businesses across the UK, ranging from takeaway restaurants and holiday parks to garages, hair salons and sports clubs as part of a programme of ensuring everybody is covered.