FOI Request - Information on Businesses

Request 101003841903

1. The number of each of the below types of business (or similar types) operating in your council area:

Barbershops
Vape shops
Harry Potter Shops
Car washes
American-style candy stores (i.e., selling imported confectionery) 

Nail Bars

2. The names and addresses of each business, as well as the owner/operator.

3. The date of which each business was permitted to begin operating.

4. The number of each of the same types of business closed within the last five years, including the names and addresses of each business, as well as the owner/operator.

5. The number of substantiated reports of money laundering, or any other illicit financial activity linked to both current businesses, and businesses which closed in the last five years. Please also advise what action was taken as a result.

6. The number of each type of business – both currently in operation and closed within the last five years – which failed to pay business rates, or any other fees owed to the council. Please advise what action was taken as a result. Please name each business which is indebted to the council (including those now closed) and specify the amount owed.

7. The number of inspections by council officers for these types of firms in each of the last five years (broken down by year). Please advise whether the inspection was routine or the result of a lead/complaint, and the result of each inspection.

Response 18-09-2025

1. The information requested is not held categorised down to the level requested. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held. 

Information on all Non Domestic Rates properties is published quarterly on the Moray Council website. For ease of reference please see the link here: 
http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_108099.html  

Only the information on Car Washes is specifically identified in the Non Domestic Rates information linked above. The rest would come under the description "shop" or "salon", which would also include multiple types of businesses not requested in this FOI.

We confirm that we have a list of 171 Hairdressers/Beauticians (which may include nail bars and barbers but these are not specifically identified). 

2. Not held. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held. 

The business address for the "Car Washes" would be available from the above webpage; http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_108099.html

Please find attached a list of Hairdressers/Beauticians as per question 1. Please note, names have been withheld under Section 38(1) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - personal information. 

3. Not held. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held. 

4. Not held. We do not give permission when to begin operating. There are no licences required or held for any of these types of businesses. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held. 

5. Not held. The council is not an official reporting authority for money laundering. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held. 

6. We do not record the type of business for sundry debt purposes. To identify each debt which is either still outstanding or written off over the last 5 years we would have to look at approximately 2000 accounts. At an estimated 5 minutes per account, this would take us well over 40 hours and this would cost the Council in excess of £600. In accordance with Section 12 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - excessive cost, we are therefore unable to comply with this part of your request. 

7. Of the Of 171 Hairdressers and Beauticians recorded, there were no inspections recorded in the time period. 

The number of inspections of barbers is between 1 and 5. Release of this information could result in the identification of individuals. This information is therefore exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Personal Information.

There have been inspections of Vape shops:

Please note, to give more details (e.g.split up be year) would lead to the numbers involved being between 1 and 5. Release of this information could result in the identification of individuals. This information is therefore exempt under Section 38(1)(b) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Personal Information.