Call to end PRS fee for Sky TV

A Pembrokeshire host is looking for trade support after refusing to pay a Performing Right Society (PRS) bill to watch football in his pub.

Steve Bale, owner of the Caledonia Inn in Pembrokeshire Dock said he does not believe it is fair that he should have to pay three times to show live football - once for a TV licence, once for a Sky subscription and another £70 fee to the PRS.

Bale has forked out £206.70 for his jukebox to the PRS but is standing his ground on Sky and taken legal advice from BII (British Institute of Innkeeping) solicitors.

'I already pay Sky over £300 a month to show football so why should I have to pay again for the music at the beginning, which is awful, and the adverts,' he said.

'I will not pay for advert jingles and programme introductory music, which are superfluous to the sporting programmes I buy for me to attract customers.'

Bale has written to his MP, Nick Ainger, who has forwarded the matter to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport as well as the Department of Trade and Industry. Bale hopes that the issue can be addressed in Parliament.

Tadcaster Pub Company managing director James Crawfurd-Porter, an opponent of the current system, said: 'Surely this form of audio entertainment is already covered in paying for a TV licence?'

PRS public performance sales director Keith Gilbert said: 'If you are publicly performing music for the benefit of your business, the person who has written the music that you play in your venue is due a royalty.'