From the Shopfront 24 May 2010
Detail:
The other day I received a letter from the performing rights society (PRS) inquiring if I played music in the shop as if I did I would need a licence at a minimum cost of £75. Two days later I received a phone call from them asking if I had received their letter and did I, in fact, play music in the shop – and, by the way, all conversations would be recorded. Well, as the radio was playing in the background I could not tell a fib, so yes I do play the radio in the shop for my own pleasure. I am in the shop 10 hours a day, six days per week so playing the radio cannot be a crime. But how wrong I am, as long as customers can hear it then I need a licence. The caller asked what size shop I had and I think I quoted square metres instead of square feet so I now have a much larger shop than I thought! He then informed me that the licence would cost £400 pa and this could be backdated several years. How much? £400 just to listen to background music and news updates, no chance. So off went the radio for good. I fully agree that performers should receive their just royalties but surely the radio station pays so why should a shopkeeper?
By:
Newshound
Date/time :
24/05/2010
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