Pound shop banned from playing music

11:56am Friday 15th March 2013 in News

DISCOUNT UK has been banned from playing music by a top judge after it aired Christmas songs without a licence.

‘Walking In The Air’, ‘When A Child Is Born’ and ‘Saviour’s Day’ were among the songs being played illegally at the discount shop on Riverside Retail Park.

Shops need a Phonographic Performance Licence to use records, tapes or CDs.

To play music without one infringes copyright laws.

At the High Court yesterday, Thursday, Mr Justice Peter Smith banned Karen Evans and Poundworld Retail Ltd, trading as Discount UK, from playing recorded music.

The ban will remain in place until the licence - required in bars, clubs, hotels, gyms, offices and schools - is purchased.

Discount UK will also pay legal costs of £2,608.

The court heard that failure to obey the order could result in fines of £10,000 or six months in prison.

Inspectors from PPL attended the store on December 20 last year following a tip-off music was being played there.

Ben Longstaff, counsel for PPL, said that letters were then sent to Poundworld advising them to buy a license.

Following the hearing, Clare Goldie, spokesman for PPL, said: "PPL is the UK-based music licensing company which licences recorded music for broadcast, online and public performance use.

“Established in 1934, PPL carries out this role on behalf of thousands of record company and performer members.

"Public Performance licences are issued by PPL to hundreds of thousands of businesses and organisations from all sectors across the UK who play recorded music to their staff or customers and who therefore require a licence by law.

“These can range from bars, nightclubs, shops and hotels to offices, factories, gyms, schools, universities and local authorities.

"After the deduction of PPL’s running costs, all revenue collected is distributed to members.

“PPL does not retain a profit for its services.

"With over 6,500 members who are record companies or other recorded music rights holders and 50,000 performer members, PPL has a large and diverse membership.

“Members include major record labels and globally successful performers, as well as many independent labels, sole traders and session musicians ranging from orchestral players to percussionists and singers – all of whom are entitled to be fairly paid for the use of their recordings and performances.”

Comments(15)

chunkymunky says...
12:04pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Walking On The Air’.....was that the follow up to "walking in the air" that didnt make the top 40??

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Wire Lad says...
12:46pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Wow..Crime of the Century !!!!
It isn't the 1st of April for a couple of weeks yet .

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moleogod says...
1:17pm Fri 15 Mar 13

wow a top judge earning his monies

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Wire Lad says...
1:29pm Fri 15 Mar 13

They were not transported as convicts to Australia to serve 10 years penal servitude .

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Wire Lad says...
1:34pm Fri 15 Mar 13

corrected post...

They were very luck not to be transported as convicts to Australia to serve 10 years penal servitude .

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moleogod says...
2:39pm Fri 15 Mar 13

it's not a pound shop

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old-codger says...
6:56pm Fri 15 Mar 13

God bless ye merry Gentlemen and
Good will to all men.
The Christmas spirit is alive and kicking ****.

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silverlady54 says...
9:07pm Fri 15 Mar 13

Why should the performers and writers/composers of these songs not receive the royalties due to them when their work is broadcast? If you weren't paid the due amount for work done, you too would be complaining!

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somelad says...
10:12pm Fri 15 Mar 13

silverlady54 wrote:
Why should the performers and writers/composers of these songs not receive the royalties due to them when their work is broadcast? If you weren't paid the due amount for work done, you too would be complaining!
Was going to say exactly the same thing, it may not be crime of the century like some posters have written but I'm sure that if their boss didn't pay them for the work they had done they wouldn't just leave it and say no biggie. The artists, producers, the record label, all the people employed there plus prob hundreds more all deserve paying for what they've done so the excuse of the artist being wedged is no excuse cause people further down the chain need paying too.

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MikeJT says...
5:18am Sat 16 Mar 13

The purchase of a PPL is something that all shops must do if they are playing piped music. The fact that this was decided in the high court means there was obviously more to this case or its history than simply "they didnt have a licence"

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Nick Tessla says...
11:41am Sun 17 Mar 13

If they can't play music will they have to put on a One Direction album instead?



;-)

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old-codger says...
1:57pm Sun 17 Mar 13

Nick Tessla says...
11:41am Sun 17 Mar 13

If they can't play music will they have to put on a One Direction album instead?..

Nice one Nick.

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Mikeywire says...
5:08pm Sun 17 Mar 13

"Tip Off"???...ha ha ha i wonder which saddo had the thought "Mmm i wonder if this shop has a license to play this Xmas song".....??? Words fail me...

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grey_man says...
2:32pm Mon 18 Mar 13

Wire Lad wrote:
corrected post...

They were very luck not to be transported as convicts to Australia to serve 10 years penal servitude .
Let us know when you're prepared to work for nothing mate.

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cheshirecheesy says...
2:55pm Tue 19 Mar 13

i rarely shop there (in fact do most of my christmas shopping on line to avoid humans and said music) but if they fail to purchase the licence ill put them right at the top of my list come christmas...unfortun
ately there comes a point when i have to venture out....

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