Satellite TV martyr Karen Murphy to quit pub trade

In an exclusive interview with the Publican’s Morning Advertiser, Murphy said her moral victory against the football corporation “now seems more and more
hollow” and she can no longer afford to run the Red White and Blue pub, in Southsea, Hampshire.

Murphy, who has worked a second full-time job at a commercial lighting company from 2008 since she earns no wages from the pub, said that large pub companies and breweries are “killing the tenanted section of the industry”.

“However great the moral victory was, it now seems more and more hollow, as big corporations spend more and more money disguising the truth and fighting every bit of legislation. They have been and will continue to be the demise of the local,” she said.

Murphy added the cost of running her pub has risen substantially since taking on the outlet at levels that “cannot be sustained”.

She took on the Gale’s — now Fuller’s — pub in 2004 and her tenancy is due to finish in June 2014.

However, she handed in her notice in April, saying she does not know whether the pub “can keep its doors open until then”.

Fuller’s has advertised the property to be let on a new three-year tenancy for £21,000 per year, with a rateable value of £12,000.

Murphy became a heroine in the eyes of many licensees after overturning her conviction for using the Greek channel Nova to show live football in the pub in February last year.

She said many licensees “still don’t realise” their legal right to use European satellite systems but thanked everyone who supported her throughout the court case.

However, the FAPL insists the law gives it the right to prevent the unauthorised use of its copyright-protected works in pubs and clubs.
Murphy went on to say that she was concerned by the number of pubs that are failing to survive.

“It is quite sad it has come to this but if it’s not making any money there is no point. Around five other pubs have shut down in the same street in the past couple of years.

“If things were different and the Government got its act together with the statutory code, we wouldn’t be in the state we’re in now and maybe 26 pubs wouldn’t be closing per week. But now it’s a bit too late.

“If pubcos could see rents were getting out of hand and if rates were lower, I would love to go back to the pub trade, but there are a multitude of problems.”

A Fuller’s spokesperson confirmed Murphy will leave the pub and said: “Karen has been a licensee with Fuller’s for a number of years, and Gale’s before that, running an excellent pub.

“She has made the decision to resign her tenancy and the pub is on the market for a new tenant.”