Pub Chain To Cut Back On Sky - 26/05/2005

Waning interest in Premiership football and surging subscription costs may push brewer and pub chain Wolverhampton and Dudley to nearly halve the number of its managed pubs showing Sky Television. With Chelsea's dominance boring its regulars and loud televisions disturbing its dining customers, chief executive Ralph Findlay said it made less sense to pay what he termed Sky's 'ridiculous costs'. The group is reviewing its subscriptions and may cancel 115 of the 265 managed pubs offering Sky by August to cut back its £2.8m annual bill. Many of Wolves' customers hail from the traditional heartlands of the Black County and have been decidedly despondent over the recent relegation of Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion from the Premiership, not to mention the failure of Wolves the football club to gain promotion.