All these licences are a major drain on cash flow

I have been a licensee for more than 16 years two years as a manager, 11 as a tenant, and the rest as freehold owner of my pub. Every week the cost of running pubs throughout the country increases, with some different form of price rise, whether it be a controllable or a non-controllable cost.

Recently we calculated the number of licences publicans require to keep the business open: a premises licence, a personal licence, an amusement with prizes machines (AWP) licence, a Performing Right Society (PRS) licence, a Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) licence, a television licence, a dustbin licence, and an entertainment licence. There are probably quite a few more.

I see in the Morning Advertiser that someone has had another bright idea a smoking licence. I ask you! I hope someone doesn't have any more brainwaves like this. We will finish up with a Sunday-lunch licence, a gravy licence, a potato licence and so on.

The cost of all these licences is a massive drain on the cash flow of every licensee.

I see that Sky has once again decided to erode the cash flow of pubs even further. The Rolls-Royce pricing structure of this company amazes me.

The question that needs to be asked is, can Sky Business, not Sky as a whole, manage without pubs? I think the answer is no. But can pubs manage without Sky? The answer to that is yes.

It is now just a matter of convincing the licensees to stick together. After all, the pubwatch scheme acts to remove unruly elements from the pubs; the price of Sky viewing must now come into that category.

Brian Marshall

Musicians Arms

Dorrington

Lincolnshire

Stick together to fight Sky's outrageous fees

I must agree with Linda Smith following her letter in the 4 August edition of the Morning Advertiser regarding Sky's monopoly ('We must stand together to fight Sky's monopoly).

My subscription has gone up from £400 to £1,400 for PremPlus. This is so unfair. On questioning Sky regarding this, I was told that the price is now calculated by your rateable value. How greedy is Sky?

I also enquired about having the system that Sky advertises, allowing you to watch a different Sky station in another room. I wanted this for my private living quarters, but was told I couldn't because this is a pub I have to buy a whole new package and pay for a new deal. I already pay £600 a month.

I think what Linda says is right. If everyone stuck together and refused to pay, then Sky would have to reconsider the totally outrageous amount it is charging publicans alike.

Jane Mortimer

Waggon & Horses

Chester

Cheshire

MA helps busy hosts put their view on smoking

I would like to congratulate the Morning Advertiser on its smoking initiative. The postcard scheme on the front of last week's issue is absolutely first class and will make it a great deal easier for licensees across Britain to have their say and not be steamrollered into accepting the ludicrous proposals currently on offer.

It is vital for those who the legislation will affect most to have their say after all it is our businesses and livelihoods on the line.

With all the paperwork and pressure that licensees are under, the Morning Advertiser has succeeded in making it incredibly easy for us to respond. It took me all of about 30 seconds and I feel happy now that the Department of Health will be hearing my views. It's nice to know someone is on our side.

We are under siege and I urge every licensee to voice their opinion in the consultation. If you don't, then we could be railroaded into accepting the piecemeal proposals banning smoking in pubs serving food. This would restrict choice and be detrimental, not only to pubs, but to the country as a whole.

It could still be an outright ban if we don't have our say.

Name and address supplied

Ridiculous that the EU can dictate my clothing

As a barmaid in her early 20s, I read with interest your story on the EU plot to cover up cleavages to protect workers from harmful exposure to sunlight (Morning Advertiser, 11 August). But I couldn't believe what I was reading.

We all know the dangers of too much sun and the risk of skin cancer from this, so surely it is up to the public how they use this information, and indeed what clothes they choose to put on in the morning.

While I am not a low-cut-top kind of girl, to say that I can't wear particular clothes for my own safety is just ludicrous.

I'm sure we barmaids could give those politicians a tip or two about their lives, like the dangers of too many boozy lunches on the waistline. Perhaps these should be banned too?

Name and address supplied

Fed up with Daily Mail's '24-hour pubs' nonsense

I think I speak on behalf of many licensees when I ask: who the hell does the Daily Mail think it is? I've had enough of the paper's policy of running the trade into the ground at any opportunity, through its increasingly idiotic campaign against '24-hour pubs.

I run a pub in a large town and I've not heard of any other landlord who has even contemplated the idea of applying to open 24/7. And even the tiny number of pubs that are applying to open around the clock have made it quite clear that they have zero intention of doing so on a regular basis.

It would be funny if it wasn't so damaging. But lazy journalists follow each other like sheep once one hack uses the expression '24-hour drinking, they all do. Please, enough!

On a similar theme, I wish someone would point out to me why people seem to be waiting until now to voice their opposition to the Licensing Act. Why didn't they speak up before it became law, rather than add all this unnecessary pressure on the trade at a time when, frankly, we have enough to worry about?

Name and address supplied

Via email

Quiz nights show old favourites are the key

I read with interest your article about Wetherspoon turning to quiz nights to bring in the punters.

Pubs have been running quizzes on slow, midweek nights for an eternity. I know from the response at my own pub that they are very popular and, from my perspective, they are easy to run as I've got it down to a fine art.

But I find it surprising that Tim Martin and his team can't find anything more original to do. Even with all the millions that they have made from running pubs, this story shows that sometimes the old favourites are hard to beat.

Now I'm just left wondering whether there could be a renaissance in traditional pub games. Draughts anyone?

Name and address supplied