In the Press last Friday was a story that mechanics at a Scarborough garage were told to pay a fee of £278 if they listened to the radio while they worked (Garage music proves costly - March 15).

A similar story emerged a couple of years ago in York when two small wholefood shops were visited by a Performing Rights Society representative.

Noting there was no music being played in either shop, the rep inquired after a radio in the staffroom.

If so they were liable to pay a licence fee of around £130.

But what if the radio was tuned to BBC Radio 4 or another speech-based station in the private staffroom?

No matter came the answer, even speech radio plays jingles or incidental music and any place outside of the home is regarded as a public place. Furthermore, staff listening to a personal stereo in the shop would also need a licence.

PRS head office in London confirmed all of the above.

“After all, we have over 90,000 members and the average royalty payment to them is only around £6,000 each.”

The society is a not-for-profit organisation which collects money for the broadcast and public performance of music and pays it to composers, music writers and publishers.

So all of you scaffolders, builders and gardeners whistling along to the radio have been depriving Sir Paul McCartney and Sir Elton John of desperately-needed income. A shred of good news may be that the chav with car stereo set to stun levels, or the bus queue headphones wearer with the annoying “tsk ticka tsk” will have a licence demand slapped on them. That’ll be the day. There is news of a new regular jazz joint, if I dare call one of York’s foremost hotels a joint.

The Lady Anne Middleton’s Hotel is undergoing a major refurbishment and is now sponsoring live jazz on Friday nights at 8pm. York’s leading players will be featured, including Kieran White (March 22), Kate Peters Trio (March 29), Karl Mullen Trio (April 5), Bejazzled (April 13) and Ian Chalk Quartet (April 26). Although a very smart hotel, the management have stressed that there is no reqirement to dress up suited and booted for the Friday night sessions, so make your way down to Skeldergate and hear the best of jazz in very civilised surroundings. Parking is a bit tight, so try on-street in Cromwell Road.

• The rest of your jazz diary is:

Tonight: Bejazzled, Old White Swan, Goodramgate, (01904 540911) Saturday: Harry Strutters` Hot Rhythm Orchestra, Jazz in the Spa, (01937 842636).

Sunday: John Marley Trio, Kennedy`s Café Bar, Little Stonegate (01904 620222); Karl Mullen and Jen Lowe, Waggon and Horses, Lawrence Street (01904 637478)

Wednesday: York Jazz jam, Phoenix Inn, George Street (01904 656401), Ant Law (guitar), Scarborough Jazz at the Cask, Cambridge Terrace (01723 500570)