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At the end of November 2004 Sam Smiths brewery banned all music, live and recorded, in their pubs. You can follow the history of this decision at http://www.mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=76057 or in the "Sam Smiths brewery bans live music" thread in the uk.music.folk newsgroup.
We've written to the chairman of Sam Smiths, Humphrey Smith, but we've not yet had a reply ( text of YFA letter ). Mr Smith's reply to another correspondent is quoted on uk.music.folk:
Thank you for your letter of January 6th.
Our small brewery's decision to end all activities in our pubs that make
premises liable to the Performing Rights levy has, unfortunately, caused a
lot of customer unhappiness. Many have objected to the loss of TV's,
particularly the racing on Channel 4; many have objected to the loss of
jukeboxes and/or muzac; some have objected to the loss of live entertainment
as in your case and situation.
I can only apologize. Rightly or wrongly our small brewery's whole strategy
and objective is to keep our brewery open and producing and offering secure
employment for the very long term.
This Christmas many beers in pubs have been selling at five times the price
of their canned equivalents in supermarkets. Sales of beer in supermarkets
take a higher and higher proportion of what is a static or falling beer
market. We have apart from duty increases largely held our market beer
prices since 1990.
We do not find it practicable, in making savings that many of our existing
customers object to, for these measures to be applied selectively. We only
feel able to apply them to all the licensed premises we operate, so that
each pub operates on a level playing field, or with equal constraints.
I can only apologize again
YS
Humphrey R W Smith
It is not precisely clear what chairman Humphrey Smith means by "the Performing Rights levy". PRS, the Performing Right Society, collects royalties on behalf of composers, songwriters and publishers, while PPL, Phonographic Performance Limited, collects royalties on behalf of record companies and performers.
The issue of PRS fees is complicated but could be negotiated between clubs using the pubs and the landlord. Current annual fees are
- Television in bar area up to 120 sq m - £59.91
- CD player in bar area up to 120 sq m - £149.80
- Audio jukebox, bar area up to 120 sq m - £175.92
- Live music per session for the first 100 persons capacity - £6.84
- £6.84 x 52 weeks = £355.68 per year
Quite how banning music will make the brewery more competitive with supermarkets is not immediately obvious.
Some of the consequences in Yorkshire of the Smiths ban will be
- Folk, jazz and all party sessions will cease at Nellie’s, Beverley. The White Horse Folk Club’s last meeting there will be on 17 January 2005 (check our directory for details of their new venue), and see http://members.aol.com/whitehorsefolk/nellies.htm
- Performances of the Sheffield Carols at the Travellers in Oughtibridge will have to end.
- Whitby Folk Week will no longer be able to use The Plough for singarounds. Whitby Folk Club has moved to the Friendship Rowing Club.
What can we do?
Mr Smith is entitled to decide where he positions his pubs in the marketplace, but any loss of venues for live music is bad news. If you wish to protest and point out the economic consequences of losing thirsty musicians and audiences, write to
Humphrey Smith
Chairman
Samuel Smith’s Brewery
Tadcaster
North Yorkshire
LS24 9SB
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