Focus on "Performing Right Society"

Many salons provide background music. This is may be pre-recorded, or a radio may simply be used.

The Performing Right Society (PRS) collects licence fees from users of PRS controlled music, on behalf of composers, authors and publishers. A blanket PRS licence allows all types of music to be played in public, including records, CDs and cassettes.

The PRS has a specific scale of charges (Tariff SP) for small outlets such as salons which provide background music (for example by means of one or more of the following; record and/or CD and/or tape player, with or without television and/or radio).

The exact charge varies with the number of seats and other factors, so the PRS should be contacted for details in each case. As a rough guide, a licence for a salon might cost between £60 and £110, depending on the size of the premises.

If music is to be provided by means of commercially produced recordings, an additional licence from Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) may also be needed. Showing pre-recorded videos may necessitate a licence from Video Performance Limited (VPL), as well as copyright permission from the PRS and from the producer.

For details of the PRS, PPL and VPL, see Legislation and regulation: Sources of further information.