Kwik-Fit Faces £200,000 Claim for Playing Radio

Kwik-Fit has been before the Court of Session in Edinburgh, where the UK’s largest independent tyre retail chains faces a claim of £200,000 in damages from the Performing Rights Society (PRS). PRS is suing the company because it objects to the volume at which mechanics play the radio while working. PRS say that Kwik-Fit’s technicians have been playing music loudly enough to be heard by colleagues and customers, thus constituting a “performance” and therefore royalties payments. Presiding Judge Lord Emslie refused to dismiss the action, but also said he should not be taken as accepting that the PRS would necessarily succeed in their claims.

For its part Kwik-Fit said that it will fight the case and operates a no-radio policy at its branches. However, PRS reportedly has evidence that music has been played at Kwik-Fit on 250 occasions in and after 2005.