A court house is facing legal action over cigarette ends littering the pavement outside.

Brighton Magistrates' Court, in Edward Street, was one of three premises to be caught out in the latest round of "scores on the floors" inspections, which aim to rid the streets of discarded cigarettes.

Council staff carrying failed one of their own buildings - the housing office in Victoria Road, Brighton.

The Bulldog Tavern, in St James Street, was the third premises in the city to fail during the most recent inspection.

All three were found to have excessive amounts of cigarette butts lying outside and were given C grades by inspectors.

Premises are given the bottom mark if more than 15 butts are found by inspection staff.

Any which receive a second C grade in future inspections is likely to receive a £100 fixed penalty notice and be taken to court and forced to clean up its act.

A letter has already been sent to the three C grade offenders warning them that legal action could follow.

Despite the findings, experts believe the message is finally getting through to most business that cigarette butt litter will not be tolerated.

A spokesman for the Keep Britain Tidy campaign group, said: "The big fear was that after the smoking ban came into force last year, that a lot of premises would have cigarette butts littered outside them.

"And to an extent that was true. But most organisations are now getting the message, thanks in part to a widespread advertising campaign and other measures, that this sort of littering will not be tolerated."

Five premises received the top A grade during the inspections. They were the Pavilion Tavern, Castle Square, the Thistle Hotel, Kings Road, Kings House council offices, Bartholomew House council offices and Brighton Unemployment Centre, in Tilbury Place.

All were found to have no butts outside.

Those which received B grades were Ocean Rooms, Morley Street, All Night Cafe, Circus Street, Hectors House, Grand Parade, Hove Town Hall, Lavender Street housing office, Selsfield Drive housing office, Department for Work and Pensions office, Edward Street, Priory House council office, near Brighton Town Hall, Moshi Moshi, Bartholomew Square and American Express, Edward Street.

All were found to have between five and 15 butts outside.

During a previous inspection, carried out in October 2007, six premises out of a total of 17 received C gradings.

The city council said it has been "inundated" by calls and letters from the public supporting the inspections, with many calling for them to be made more frequent.

Further inspections are to be carried out later in the year.

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