PPL again!!!

DogsBody

The garage where I am a self employed bookkeeper has just had a bill from this lot, telling us we need a licence for playing music in a public place. OK, fine, but we don't have a radio in the office or the workshop, we don't listen to CD's and we don't "deliberately" play any kind of music or radio at any time (I can't concentrate on the phone if there's music playing, and the 2 mechanics prefer to chat)

The PPL bloke on the phone implied that we were lying, but obviously he couldn't hear any music on the phone, and if anyone were to visit they wouldn't hear any either. However, he then went on to ask about radios in customers' cars.

Obviously, most cars will have some kind of sound system fitted, and while the ignition is on, the radio will play until it is turned off. No-one here wants to listen to any radio, and turning the infernal things off is a minor annoyance when moving vehicles or doing work requiring the ignition/engine to be on. Apparently, this is enough of a public broadcast to put us on the wrong side of PPL.

Off to find the relevant legislation now to see if I can make head or tail of whether they are right or not, but if anyone knows the answer, please share!!:D

Lighthouse_in_the_dark

there fishing!

if this was taken to court it would be laughed out of it!

DogsBody

Seems, so , doesn't it?:) Seems a lot like the TV licence thing where you really have to dig to find out that you don't need the licence just for owning the equipment!

Having no joy on PPL site (of course), and the copyright, designs and patents act 1988 is not what I'd call a thrilling read - dunno if I'd be able to understand anything relevant even if I could find it, but hey-ho! Onwards and upwards.

Wywth

DogsBody wrote: »

The garage where I am a self employed bookkeeper has just had a bill from this lot, telling us we need a licence for playing music in a public place. OK, fine, but we don't have a radio in the office or the workshop, we don't listen to CD's and we don't "deliberately" play any kind of music or radio at any time (I can't concentrate on the phone if there's music playing, and the 2 mechanics prefer to chat)

The PPL bloke on the phone implied that we were lying, but obviously he couldn't hear any music on the phone, and if anyone were to visit they wouldn't hear any either. However, he then went on to ask about radios in customers' cars.

Obviously, most cars will have some kind of sound system fitted, and while the ignition is on, the radio will play until it is turned off. No-one here wants to listen to any radio, and turning the infernal things off is a minor annoyance when moving vehicles or doing work requiring the ignition/engine to be on. Apparently, this is enough of a public broadcast to put us on the wrong side of PPL.

Off to find the relevant legislation now to see if I can make head or tail of whether they are right or not, but if anyone knows the answer, please share!!:D

I don't think you need to find any legislation - it's clearly explained on their own website:

What is the definition of 'playing recorded music in public'?


A PPL licence is required when recorded music, including radio and TV, is played in public. There is no statutory definition of 'playing in public' (also sometimes referred to as 'public performance') but the UK courts have given guidance on its meaning and ruled that it is any playing of music outside of a domestic setting – so, for example, playing recorded music at a workplace, public event or in the course of any business activities is considered to be 'playing in public'. In contrast, any recorded music being played as part of domestic home life or when there is an audience entirely comprised of friends and/or family (such as at a private family party) does not require a PPL licence.

http://www.ppluk.com/I-Play-Music/Businesses/Why-do-I-need-a-licence/

As you say, you can''t concentrate on the phone if there is music playing, so presumably you turn off customer's car radios if they leave them on (like any garage I have ever taken my car to)

podperson

They seem complete chancers! I had them on the phone the other week - guy sounded incredulous when I said we didn't listen to music/radio in the workplace (clearly told him it was a phone based office so would be too distracting) and then started asking whether we had any tvs in the property (we have a display model as we sell some AV packages) and whether any staff listened to IPods/mp3 players etc on their breaks!! Surely what a staff member does on their break is not the employers responsibility - and how could someone listening to music through headphones be classed as 'playing in public'.

GazHatesBanks

Had a great battle with this lot a while ago. They were insistent that where I worked needed a license for playing a radio (there wasn't one in the whole business!).

They then tried the tactic that they normally employ by saying that it had been proven that a radio or music increases productivity or sales etc. etc.

I made the point that if they REALLY wanted my employer to play the radio in THEIR time and space then we should be charging them for advertising "their" artists at commercial radio rates - you could hear them back-pedaling all the way to Brighton!

Then just to really cement what these organisation are like, I had the exact same conversation with PRS!

BTW neither organisation could/would give an indication of how much of what they collected was actually paid over to the artists that they claim to represent!