The PRS are causing mayhem with small businesses all over the country, and they have the law on their side. A few months ago they started a very agressive campaign, assuming (probably correctly) that most small businesses, that are able to, have a radio at work. Bingo, collect a huge fee from them.
Except most small businesses don’t consider this fair and either refuse to pay (and get sued) or take their radio’s home again. This has now happened where I work – no more music. And no more adverts. Oops – do the commercial stations realise what they’ve done?
The FSB are also fed up, especially with the bullying tactics employed.
My advice :-
Don’t speak to them. Don’t reply to any correspondance. Don’t admit anything. Don’t let them on your premises.
If that’s too late, then join the FSB and hope they can get some concessions for you. Putting your head in the sand will not make these people go away – but you can at least drag out the process and make them earn their money, which of course means less revenue for the artists they supposedly represent. If you have already admitted to having a radio (or similar), you are doomed. I would suggest you stick your head in the gas oven, but you probably need a permit for that as well.
I have to say I think this is insane. I can well see that it’s the law but it flipping well shouldn’t be. Why the hell should you need a licence for a rdaio at work, for goodness sake ? And have some people seriously not got anything better yo do than snoop around looking for companies with radios ?