pubs angry at sky price increase

Several pub chains are to complain to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) following Sky's decision to raise TV subscription prices by up to 22%.

The broadcaster has increased the price for pubs and bars wanting to show live Premiership football, a move which, in some cases, has sent subscription costs above £1,000 / month.

Scottish & Newcastle, which has 1,450 pubs, said: "These new price rises mean that it can be more economically viable to provide live entertainment rather than show a match."

Francis Patton, commercial director of the Punch Pub Company, a chain which has over 4,500 pubs, agreed: "We find it appalling. Sky's popularity was created by the pubs market and yet now it is creating a stranglehold on the sector."

A spokesman for Sky told This Is Money that the subscription represented good value for money. "Sky invests a huge amount in its programming and it is extremely good value," he said. "And there are many other forms of entertainment that pubs can offer."

they only broadcast it once though, costs them the same to send it to your house as to a pub

True, my dad has just bought a pub and the sly costs are in excess of 500 nicker a month!!!!......feckers!

yeah for all the private pubs like your dads chris i do feel sorry and they should have a private owner rebate or some kinda deal !!!!

but them big business's like bass etc ... i say let them pay sky is a good service and if they get in 500 people on a footie day they cant complain to much can they !!!

500 people drinking 8 pints each lol, and pints down here are £2.30 minimum

yip, and they pay less for their beer as my dad does for his beer!

So their profit margins are also much higher.

and we only charge 1.75 for pint of bitter i.e boddies/tetleys

lol we should all get down your old man for the footie lol ... dunno i might be the only one shouting when arsenal scores lol .. but seeing as we probably will be playing blackburn and our track record is not gr8 ... i might have to watch you lot shout lol

but it is a rip off and its the big companys that are making all the complaints lol

That's because they have the clout, they will not listen to the likes of my dad, or any other small town/rural pub.

Rupert Fecking Murdoch!