Sky pays gasmen to spy on pubs (From York Press)
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Sky pays gasmen to spy on pubs
6:50am Thursday 10th May 2012 in News
By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk
GAS meter readers are being asked to spy on pubs which may be illegally showing football matches, The Press can reveal.
Security company G4S has admitted asking its meter readers to work “out of uniform” while carrying out certain “non-utility data collection contracts”.
G4S staff have been sent into pubs in York and North Yorkshire to carry out undercover checks as part of a nationwide policy, according to one whistleblower.
The practice came to light after The Press was contacted by a member of G4S staff who said he and other meter readers felt uncomfortable carrying out the covert checks on behalf of TV company Sky.
The employee, who asked not to be named, said: “We are told to take off our uniforms off, leave our handhelds (meter readers) at home and not to make ourselves known to anyone in the pub.
“That’s not what I joined up for - it just does not feel right. If I could go in and say why I was there and give them a chance then it would feel better, but this is just not right.
“We have been told to sit and watch telly and the details.”
The worker, who has carried out the undercover checks a number of times, said he was also concerned for his safety should his cover be blown during one of the covert visits.
“We call them Sky spy jobs,” he said. “I know there’s a lot of people don’t like doing them.”
A G4S spokesman said: “We have a number of utility and non-utility data collection contracts and can confirm that some of our employees carrying out those services will do so without wearing G4S uniforms, although they will always carry identification which will be shown when asked.”
A Sky spokesman said: "Sky's committed to protecting the interests of its legitimate commercial customers. Sky therefore employs a number of companies, including G4S, to visit pubs across the UK to help identify pubs who use residential viewing cards in breach of their Sky contract. Those premises found to be accessing Sky unlawfully may be subject to legal action - much in the same way as they would if they didn't have a TV licence."
Dave Woods, who ran the Cross keys pub on Tadcaster Road until January this year, said he was asked to pay £1,600 every month to show Sky in his pub.
“It’s way too expensive,” he said. “You have to sell a lot of beer to cover £1600 a month. I was surprised to hear a company like G4S would be involved in something like that but when you look at it I’m not surprised. They are trying to catch you out.”
Comments(26)
Public Enemy Number One
says...
6:58am Thu 10 May 12
smudge1
says...
8:31am Thu 10 May 12
Pete the Brickie
says...
8:35am Thu 10 May 12
At the end of the day Sky is overcharging all of its customers, John Terry etc and the football pundit's salararies are a pretty good indication of this fact. If these individuals wages were capped to one million a year pubs wouldn't be forced to get the football by other means as Sky could charge a fair price. Yes some players might go abroad, but an awful lot of foriegn players would leave to which might just bring more of our own through and improve the dire, couldn't care less, lose quickly and get off on holiday attitude of our international squad.
Micklegate
says...
8:50am Thu 10 May 12
Public Enemy Number One wrote:I've only ever been in once, wasn't exactly impressed but didn't have quite as bad an experience as you!!
The Cross Keys on Tadcaster Road is a dirty run down dump. I popped over the weekend and I left my pint. It was flat and smelled of eggs and it was expensive. The toilets were blocked with loads of poo aswell. Loads and loads of mashed up Dundee Cake.
Probably not a review they will be posting in the bar!
Kevin Turvey
says...
9:04am Thu 10 May 12
They are already embedded in the upper echelons of the civil service with contracts for running prisons, court services (prisoner security etc) and now are going to be running a new ‘police’ facility in Lincolnshire, and rumoured to be starting investigation work soon.
The police are demonstrating this week in London about pay.
Within 10 years time there will G4S badged operatives doing front line police holding a queens warrant.
Scary stuff.
Problem is once these companies are entrenched their domain of influence only gets bigger and more self serving leading to the tail wagging the dog as is what is occurring over in the USA at the minute with the continued rise of the fear of terrorism industry/gravy train.
The actual cost to the taxpayer will be higher for a poorer service as per all public/private partnerships!
josephheller
says...
9:13am Thu 10 May 12
was york now rotherham
says...
9:22am Thu 10 May 12
Kevin Turvey wrote:i think you missed out as well how long would it be before they carry hand cuffs,tazer's and fire arms like the normal arp officer
What concerning is that this is another example of the expansive nature of G4S.
They are already embedded in the upper echelons of the civil service with contracts for running prisons, court services (prisoner security etc) and now are going to be running a new ‘police’ facility in Lincolnshire, and rumoured to be starting investigation work soon.
The police are demonstrating this week in London about pay.
Within 10 years time there will G4S badged operatives doing front line police holding a queens warrant.
Scary stuff.
Problem is once these companies are entrenched their domain of influence only gets bigger and more self serving leading to the tail wagging the dog as is what is occurring over in the USA at the minute with the continued rise of the fear of terrorism industry/gravy train.
The actual cost to the taxpayer will be higher for a poorer service as per all public/private partnerships!
Public Enemy Number One
says...
9:23am Thu 10 May 12
josephheller wrote:You are joking aren't you?
Excellent story by The Press - more of the same, please!
Ignatius Lumpopo
says...
9:47am Thu 10 May 12
Big Bad Wolf
says...
9:50am Thu 10 May 12
Pete the Brickie wrote:This gets better and better....
I can't say I'd complain if someone offered to pay me to go into a nice warm, dry pub to watch telly. The "health and safety" concern quoted is laughable, what are the odds of a pub manager rumbling you, asking you for ID, then actually deciding the sensible option is to bray you? Most would offer you a few pints and a free steak to keep quiet if they'd any sense as there's no such offence as bribing a gas meter reader.
At the end of the day Sky is overcharging all of its customers, John Terry etc and the football pundit's salararies are a pretty good indication of this fact. If these individuals wages were capped to one million a year pubs wouldn't be forced to get the football by other means as Sky could charge a fair price. Yes some players might go abroad, but an awful lot of foriegn players would leave to which might just bring more of our own through and improve the dire, couldn't care less, lose quickly and get off on holiday attitude of our international squad.
So Pete... do you think there may be G4S "Double Agents" then?
Mentos
says...
11:20am Thu 10 May 12
malwood9
says...
11:43am Thu 10 May 12
nowthen
says...
11:56am Thu 10 May 12
roskoboskovic
says...
12:04pm Thu 10 May 12
invisibleman
says...
12:49pm Thu 10 May 12
roskoboskovic wrote:Can anyone do this on a reward basis? if so, where do I sign up? I need the extra money to pay for my sky tv ;)
nothing would surprise me about the way sky operates but i bet there are plenty of snoopers willing to do this sort of thing.if you are one of the spying grasses then i hope you get your come uppance
lowbeam
says...
1:28pm Thu 10 May 12
Public Enemy Number One wrote:you are an idiot! go to the fox and roman..simples..
The Cross Keys on Tadcaster Road is a dirty run down dump. I popped over the weekend and I left my pint. It was flat and smelled of eggs and it was expensive. The toilets were blocked with loads of poo aswell. Loads and loads of mashed up Dundee Cake.
and G4S have been doing this sort of thing for years,nothing new here
MarkyMarkMark
says...
2:18pm Thu 10 May 12
And why does the G4S "whistleblower" (and that'll make them stand out in a pub!) feel uncomfortable with watching to see if someone is breaking a law? don't they normally react when they see someone breaking the law?
G4S isn't just a gas (never noticed the almost spelling of g4s as g-a-s before!) meter reading company after all - its Group Four Security orignally, who provide law enforcement & stewarding staff to a lot of places.
Gyspsy Power
says...
4:58pm Thu 10 May 12
invisibleman wrote:Yeah they have been doing this for years. Thats why in pubs where they have paid for it they have the little pint glass in the corner. I am surprised it has taken this long for the media to cotton on.
roskoboskovic wrote: nothing would surprise me about the way sky operates but i bet there are plenty of snoopers willing to do this sort of thing.if you are one of the spying grasses then i hope you get your come uppanceCan anyone do this on a reward basis? if so, where do I sign up? I need the extra money to pay for my sky tv ;)
rawcliffered
says...
6:52pm Thu 10 May 12
Stevie D
says...
8:58pm Thu 10 May 12
What have I missed?
Rimpole
says...
10:01pm Thu 10 May 12
big boy york
says...
10:09pm Thu 10 May 12
Public Enemy Number One
says...
11:45pm Thu 10 May 12
So tell us Dave, were you suprised or not?
Stevie D
says...
12:07am Sat 12 May 12
I think you should interpret that as Dave was surprised, but isn't any more now that he's thought about it :-)
Magicman!
says...
2:26am Tue 15 May 12
Public Enemy Number One says...
6:55am Thu 10 May 12
It all seems a bit far fetched sending Gas boys into pubs. Surely somebody could just ring round the pubs pretending to be a customer asking if football is on . .