An Angus publican has hit out at escalating costs satellite TV providers are “heaping on pubs”.
Don Stewart, owner of two pubs in Forfar, said the addition of a competitor to Sky Sports has stuck him “between the devil and the deep blue sea”.
BT TV won the rights for 38 exclusive Barclays Premier League football games this year, including 18 no longer available on Sky Sports.
A number of Scottish Premier League games are now also available on the platform alone, along with Aviva Premiership Rugby, FA Cup games and WTA tennis.
Mr Stewart believes publicans who draw many of their customers based on full coverage of televised sports are being squeezed.
“It costs just under £1,000 a month to have the full range of Sky Sports on in one pub,” said Mr Stewart, who owns Bar Central and the Old Masons Arms.
“The problem then arises when they don’t show a game which everyone wants to come to the pub to see. BT don’t have that many in total but they have a number of picks of the top games.
“At £300 a month extra, in effect we’re just getting ripped off to show the same games. I am stuck between the devil and the deep blue sea.”
A spokesman for BT said: “We aim to provide a full and detailed coverage of many sports and a second-to-none package for our customers.”