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Search forPermit confusion reigns among city small businesses
Friday, November 21, 2008, 07:00
The PRS is an organisation that calls for businesses – from guest houses to charities – to pay for the right to play music, either through TV, stereo or radio, where more than one person can hear it.
The money goes to musicians and songwriters under UK copyright law.
But businesspeople across the city have complained the PRS has acted out their demands in an "intimidating and aggressive manner" when their guidelines are "not even clear about who should and shouldn't pay".
Elaine Flint, who co-owns the Mariners guest House in West Hoe, said: "In one respect the guidelines say that private rooms don't need a licence.
"Our dining room doesn't have a TV or radio – these are only in the bedrooms, which are private. They need to get their rules straight and clarify their guidelines.
"We felt that the letter we received was very threatening. We found them [PRS] very aggressive with their tactics, implying that they'll take us to court, so we decided to pay, but we don't even know if we need to."
Susan Popplestone, who co-owns Tudor House on the Hoe, said she got no clear answers from people on the phone at the PRS and after she pointed out a confusing clause on the terms and conditions of the licence, her case was recorded as being 'in dispute'.
She said: "The clause seems to suggest that TV advertisements were exempt and this place only has televisions in bedrooms.
"So I'm none-the-wiser about what exactly I should be paying for.
"I found them very disagreeable with me on the phone – very aggressive and threatening.
"It's not even a lot of money, but it's the principle of the thing – it's ridiculous."
Some businesses have even been targeted who should be exempt from paying the fee, such as businesses run from home.
Richard Thomas, chairman of the Plymouth branch of the Federation of Small Businesses, who runs a small energy company from his home, said he felt very threatened by the PRS.
He said: "They said they had a right of access to check us out at any time, which is not true. We work from home.
"Perhaps a more intimidated person might have just paid up because they were scared.
"They do not make it clear that small businesses working from home are exempt."
Paul Philpott runs Fresh Air Studios in Plymouth, a company which specialises in music licence production and makes music specially for companies exempt from needing a PRS licence.
He said: "It seems that whenever you call PRS you get a different response about how your company should be covered."
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