Mark Neves, 50, who runs The Sandwich Shop, in Wellington Street, Burton, with wife Sally, has been instructed to get a £90 permit by The Performing Rights Society (PRS) if he wants to continue serenading his customers. The organisation, which collects licence fees from music users and distributes it to writers, publishers and affiliates, says he needs the licence to comply with copyright law.
Mr Neves has sung work-themed lyrics to a mix of traditional and modern tunes throughout his business's 25-year history, 'treating' his long-suffering customers to classics such as How Much Is That Shopkeeper In The Window and A Shopkeeper's Life's For Me.
However, his harmonies were interrupted when the PRS phoned and said that, although he did not play a radio or CDs, he still needed a licence as his singing constituted 'a public performance' - an observation which prompted Mr Neves to put the phone down in disgust. Despite this, his melody-making suffered a further blow when the PRS sent him a letter confirming the conversation and his apparent agreement to stop performing material from its repertoire - as well as warning that it carried out spot checks.
Mr Neves said: "I kept the letter for some weeks to show customers, because I knew they would find it amusing - and they did, mainly because the quality of my performances could not be deemed entertaining. It's just bureaucracy gone slightly awry. I think the PRS is very active in phoning businesses and pushing for these licences to be paid. A lot of local businesses have been phoned by them."
Despite the threat of an official visit, Mr Neves is continuing to entertain his lengthy lunchtime queues with improvised ditties set to favourites like Jingle Bells and classics from The Sound of Music.
Photo from here.
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