I have been told that I can be fined for playing a radio in my shop if I don't pay £200 for an entertainment license. Can anyone tell me if this is true.:confused:

I believe it is true yes.

I stayed in a B&B once where it was explained that the owner couldn't have the radio on in the kitchen in case we heard it as she didn't have an entertainment licence!! :loopy:

I'm not sure if this is the same thing but back when I were I lad I used to work at Dixons. we never used to have sound on the TVs but we had the radio in store on all the time and it had to be tuned to a BBC radio station. Maybe they're different.

Come to think of it it might be because there are no adverts on BBC though.

It's to do with PRS licensing, I think.

It's not the radio station per se, strictly speaking it's the music tracks that are being played.

Take a look at http://www.mcps-prs-alliance.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/PPS%20Leaflets/Shops_Stores_2007.pdf

Right, I see. Guess BBC is ok because the licence fee has been paid then.

We had this problem in church would you believe. We had this guy come round saying we had to pay I think it was about two hundred pound per year to sing hymns.

We had hymn books and we had been singing the old favourites quite happily and this guy came round and said, "I see you have an overhead projector" so we said 'yes' and he said 'why' and we said, "we sing some of Graham Kendrick's songs among others" and he said well you realise these are copyright and the composer is entitled to a royalty every time you sing them, so you pay an amount of money every year and it is shared out between the various writers and composers". We were taken aback, but don't ask me what the outcome was, I haven't a clue. I know I was a bit disgusted because so many people in church give up their time and do things for free.

Similar sort of thing Grahame, I know that if anyone videos a wedding or funeral in church they are liable to pay a performing rights fee for any music the video records. This is one of the reasons many churches don't allow videoing unless the church do it as part of their sevice, and they take care of the fee paying.

Our church recently received a stack of No Smoking notices from the Council with instructions to display them in all public areas when he ban comes in. Wonder if it applies to the candles?:huh:

I can understand that copyright owners are entitled to credit/royalties for the performance of their work and could well feel aggrieved if they learn their work is being performed without payment of the appropriate royalty. However, if the noise police are out on the prowl round churches when there's been no complaint from the copyright holders, I'd suggest they've not got enough to do.
I guess then this technically applies to parties? We had a birthday party on Saturday for the girlfriend and we had some music playing. Hope I don't get done :-)

unfortunately (for you) it's true (but fortunate for me)

I need my yearly cheque from these folks: http://www.ppluk.com/

unfortunately (for you) it's true (but fortunate for me)

I need my yearly cheque from these folks: http://www.ppluk.com/

Do you get paid for Pornographic Performances? :D

Similar sort of thing Grahame, I know that if anyone videos a wedding or funeral in church they are liable to pay a performing rights fee for any music the video records. This is one of the reasons many churches don't allow videoing unless the church do it as part of their service, and they take care of the fee paying.

Our church recently received a stack of No Smoking notices from the Council with instructions to display them in all public areas when he ban comes in. Wonder if it applies to the candles?:huh:

I suppose if the candles start smoking, the council will just have to take them to court.

Honestly though, what is the world coming to? :)

It's to do with PRS licensing, I think.

It's not the radio station per se, strictly speaking it's the music tracks that are being played.

Take a look at http://www.mcps-prs-alliance.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/PPS%20Leaflets/Shops_Stores_2007.pdfCheers Joe. Apperently even Father christmas has to pay.:hihi: :hihi: :hihi: :loopy:

I have been told that I can be fined for playing a radio in my shop if I don't pay £200 for an entertainment license. Can anyone tell me if this is true.:confused:

There is no way Sheffield Council can prosecute, shall or will even attempt to try and fine me for playing my radio. If I go to prison, I shall come back a Martyr. What next how much air you breathe.
For the record PRT / council what ever may as well start with just about every clothes shop and retail store in Sheffield because I guarantee, half of them do not have a license.
And before anyone comes with the PRT crap, I have million reasons why I do not need one.I've paid my dues:rant:

I have been told that I can be fined for playing a radio in my shop if I don't pay £200 for an entertainment license. Can anyone tell me if this is true.:confused:

For the benefit of those who have not followed the PRS links: if the only source of music is a portable radio, the annual license is £58.36.

Most large retailers have a group license, rather than a shop by shop licence.

And whatever dues soem people feel they've already paid - the only ones that legally matter are the ones that get paid to the PRS. Anything else is irrelevant.

The performing rip off sods (PRS) sent many of the local DJs a letter last year not quite demanding we paid up. I know I gave them a fcough tablet (say it quick :D ) and told them I only worked private parties.

You only need a licence for public performance so private parties are exempt.

There is no way Sheffield Council can prosecute, shall or will even attempt to try and fine me for playing my radio. If I go to prison, I shall come back a Martyr. What next how much air you breathe.
For the record PRT / council what ever may as well start with just about every clothes shop and retail store in Sheffield because I guarantee, half of them do not have a license.
And before anyone comes with the PRT crap, I have million reasons why I do not need one.I've paid my dues:rant:

'air you breathe', wasn't that a song by The Hollies in the 1970's? I'm calling the council's Department Of Made Up Jobs right now, they'll get you done for using those lyrics.:D

If I go to prison, I shall come back a Martyr.

Martyr's don't make a comeback - unless you believe in coming back from the dead.

ps. note previous posts that this is down to the PRS not the council.

When I was Secretary to a local amateur dramatic society, members strived for years to raise funds to open their own theatre. They opened it in 1988. Hardly had the doors opened than I received a letter from the Performing Rights Society in York, stating we needed a music licence, just to play music before the performance and during the interval. Perhaps it is the PRS which your informant meant. I should wait until I was approached. What about noisy neighbours, who insist on entertaining the entire street with their music on full blast, and windows wide open? Perhaps sentencing them to attend the school of manners would be more appropriate.

I have been told that I can be fined for playing a radio in my shop if I don't pay £200 for an entertainment license. Can anyone tell me if this is true.:confused:

No. It's not true. Any prosecuting authority would need to show that you were presenting the music as a promotion, or accessory to your business, as a first consideration.

If you wish to listen to the radio in the process of your legitimate business, that is your choice.

No. It's not true. Any prosecuting authority would need to show that you were presenting the music as a promotion, or accessory to your business, as a first consideration.

If you wish to listen to the radio in the process of your legitimate business, that is your choice.

If the radio can be heard by passers-by and/or if you do not turn the radio off when customers enter, the precedent is that you will be guilty.

The Performing rights association have been going on and trying to get more money and licence fees for at least the last 30 yrs and they were talking about clamping down then.

i think its largely a lot of fuss over not much.

if you do eventually got some person hassling you to cough up over performance rights you can claim ignorance..it isnt 'backdateable'.

mostly, i wouldnt worry about it if you are a small shop. It can be assumed that most of the small/sole traders in any given city havent made any contribution to the PRS..and yet, how many are getting hassled for it?

Exactly. All the people i know who work in a small shop or who own their own business, and play the radio, have never been hassled. Including my brother, who owned a record shop for five years.

Nothing to worry about.

Does that mean you can't have the car window open when you've got the radio on either :suspect: oh dear :hihi:

i think its largely a lot of fuss over not much.

if you do eventually got some person hassling you to cough up over performance rights you can claim ignorance..it isnt 'backdateable'.

mostly, i wouldnt worry about it if you are a small shop. It can be assumed that most of the small/sole traders in any given city havent made any contribution to the PRS..and yet, how many are getting hassled for it?

Exactly. All the people i know who work in a small shop or who own their own business, and play the radio, have never been hassled. Including my brother, who owned a record shop for five years.

Nothing to worry about.Are you sure it's not backdateable? I'm no expert, but I think there's a chance it could be.

PRS is designed to pay for the music you're using to provide a nice environment in a shop etc. It's a valuable thing, and shouldn't be considered 'free' just because it's on the radio, or just because you've bought a CD. I'm particularly intrigued at someone selling records who doesn't see that it is right to pay for the value inherent in a musician's work.

The OP was, I think, about entertainment licenses, though, which is a different thing, and new since last year's Licensing Act. For the details on that, contact the council: they're responsible for issuing licenses.

Do you get paid for Pornographic Performances? :D

I think that comment says more about you than me.;)

I'm particularly intrigued at someone selling records who doesn't see that it is right to pay for the value inherent in a musician's work.

Im sure he saw it right to pay for the value inherent in a musicians work, let us not forget, that records were being sold.

but does playing the radio in the background make it necassary to inform another authority, and make subsequent contributions to that authority? The radio stations themselves already make a contribution, on the basis that they are playing the material to attract people to their station..and once their contribution is made, it pays for the rest of us to be 'entertained' by that station. If one is being 'entertained' whilst at work surely it still counts as one and the same?

It only applies to music - that means that you can legally play Radio 4 all day. I'd love a job where I could listen to R4 all day long

^ haha me too:)

i think its largely a lot of fuss over not much.

if you do eventually got some person hassling you to cough up over performance rights you can claim ignorance..it isnt 'backdateable'.

mostly, i wouldnt worry about it if you are a small shop. It can be assumed that most of the small/sole traders in any given city havent made any contribution to the PRS..and yet, how many are getting hassled for it?

Exactly. All the people i know who work in a small shop or who own their own business, and play the radio, have never been hassled. Including my brother, who owned a record shop for five years.

Nothing to worry about.



Ah, Bradley's Records. Bought a few there.

If the radio can be heard by passers-by and/or if you do not turn the radio off when customers enter, the precedent is that you will be guilty.

What precedent? If it can be heard by passers-by, it would be a matter for the Noise Abatement Society, not the PRS.

It's cobblers; there isn't a problem.

It only applies to music - that means that you can legally play Radio 4 all day. I'd love a job where I could listen to R4 all day long

No it doesn't. It applies to plays, public readings, all sorts. The point is that it has to be for an audience which is specifically there for the performance. Pubs who promote live music or DJ's have to be licensed because, although it may still be free to enter the premises, it is assumed that people will be going there to listen to the entertainment.

Listening to 'The Afternoon Play' in a hardware store is hardly the same thing.

"Ooh, the radio dramatisation of Kafka's 'Metamorphosis' is on. I must buy a screwdriver."

I doubt it.

A great way to get round it djs, put all your new music on white lable promos cds. If you are like me, you get most of your records and cds sent to you by the record labels so, if PRS want to sue me, I'm afraid you will have to sue the artists record labels first for sending it me. My job is to promote the tracks by any means necessary. Hence why pirate radio exists!!!!!!! (well down south any way.)

I've had this problem at work too... but I get around it if the matter comes up by playing music I own the copyright to ;P

Ah the joys of being a muso!

having grief with this at the moment , not sure which way to handle it at the moment.

Hang on...surely the radio stations have already paid some sort of fee to the PRS in order to broadcast the music in the first place...

So...charging someone for playing the radio "publicly" is like charging for something twice...

Which seems wrong to me...and the bloke in the chippy in Dore!

Sorry but if you have a shop & you play the radio you have to pay for a PRS licence. It's nothing to do with the council. The PRS do spot checks & if you don't have a licence you can be fined. We have a shop & a licence, annoying that you have to pay but it's not worth the hassle.

Sorry but if you have a shop & you play the radio you have to pay for a PRS licence. It's nothing to do with the council. The PRS do spot checks & if you don't have a licence you can be fined. We have a shop & a licence, annoying that you have to pay but it's not worth the hassle.

No, you don't. If you did, cab drivers would be knackered for a start.

The performing rip off sods (PRS) sent many of the local DJs a letter last year not quite demanding we paid up. I know I gave them a fcough tablet (say it quick :D ) and told them I only worked private parties.

You only need a licence for public performance so private parties are exempt.

Private parties are not exempt, not if you're getting paid to do them. Very little is exempt. If you play any copyright material that your punters can hear, as part of your job, then you are liable for a PRS charge, despite what the barrack room lawyers on here may say. Of course it is backdated, it's the law. They'll get you which ever way they can. If you run a mobile dj operation these days from a laptop, or ipod, you need something called a digital music license which means that they can come in, look at your pc, and check that you legally own the music on it. We had an inspection at The Last Laugh two months ago, and we had to prove that all the music on our pc was legally bought or downloaded. They can and will do you.

Private parties are not exempt, not if you're getting paid to do them. Very little is exempt. If you play any copyright material that your punters can hear, as part of your job, then you are liable for a PRS charge, despite what the barrack room lawyers on here may say. Of course it is backdated, it's the law. They'll get you which ever way they can. If you run a mobile dj operation these days from a laptop, or ipod, you need something called a digital music license which means that they can come in, look at your pc, and check that you legally own the music on it. We had an inspection at The Last Laugh two months ago, and we had to prove that all the music on our pc was legally bought or downloaded. They can and will do you.

No that's wrong. Simply listening to the radio in your own premises, or car (if private hire), does NOT mean you need a licence. Pubs, etc., have slightly different laws.

Playing a radio in a privately owned shop does NOT require a licence.

Happyhippy, where do you get your info from?

Have you had a look on this site?

www.mcps-prs-alliance.co.uk/Pages/default.aspx

I'm no lawyer but from reading it I'd say happyhippy is right. If you're listening to the radio while you're working, and not to attract or entertain customers, then you don't need a licence.

No that's wrong. Simply listening to the radio in your own premises, or car (if private hire), does NOT mean you need a licence. Pubs, etc., have slightly different laws.

Playing a radio in a privately owned shop does NOT require a licence.

Sorry, but it does.

Have a look at this:

http://www.mcps-prs-alliance.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/PPS%20Price%20Guides/ShopsandStores_Priceguide0501.pdf

If you have a business where you play music, even just as background music, means you need a licence.

As for taxis, you do need a PRS licence if you're going to play the radio:

http://www.mcps-prs-alliance.co.uk/playingbroadcastingonline/music_for_businesses/businessother/Pages/other.aspx

What about if you play it in the stock room with the door open, technically you're not playing it in the shop.

It's to do with PRS licensing, I think.

It's not the radio station per se, strictly speaking it's the music tracks that are being played.

Take a look at http://www.mcps-prs-alliance.co.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/PPS%20Leaflets/Shops_Stores_2007.pdf

Spot on, sir.
Performing Rights Society...it's all about royalties and the like.

Spot on, sir.
Performing Rights Society...it's all about royalties and the like.

But the radio station ALREADY PAID for the performance rights!!! :rant:

Why should someone have to pay again to play the radio??? :suspect:

But the radio station ALREADY PAID for the performance rights!!! :rant:

Why should someone have to pay again to play the radio??? :suspect:

Because they like to screw you!
Nothing new there, surely!
This time last year "they" were ringing around businesses in the Chesterfield area, 1) to ask if they had a radio in the workshop/offices/whatever and (2) to advise of the then-new regulations....
I took the call myself, and naturally thought it was a ****take, but turned not so.