Last updated 13:36, Thursday, 01 May 2008

A REVOLUTIONARY internet jukebox developed in Penrith has taken off everywhere – except its home county, says the company behind it.

Latest tunes: Steve Dixon at the Globe Inn, Carlisle, with a JayBox

JayBox says more than 100 of its machines have been installed in pubs in the 18 months since its launch, but very few Cumbrian venues have adopted it.

JayBox marketing director Richard Elsy said: “We feel a little like prophets in our own county. For some reason lots of pubs in the north east and Manchester, some in the West Country and lots in Glasgow have installed JayBox, but Cumbria seems reluctant to embrace this home-grown machine.”

The company said the product’s growth remains strong despite serious financial pressures in the pub industry.

In Carlisle, a string of bars have failed since January as a combination of the smoking ban, the credit crunch and cheap alcohol in supermarkets conspire against landlords. JayBox insists its product can help struggling venues survive.

Mr Elsy added: “Operators are regularly reporting major increases in coin box takings following installation of JayBox machines – double and treble the totals from CD machines is normal.

“There is no doubt that the impact on the coin box is largely down to the depth and freshness of the music on offer – over 60,000 tracks of UK music and 1,000 updates per month, including new chart music delivered weekly.

“Giving the customer what they want and offering value for money with free downloads is our philosophy. The last study I read from the US on this subject concluded that if you haven’t got the up to date music available on the machine, you’re losing at least 30 per cent of your takings. In these hard times in the pub trade, nobody can afford to do this.”

The company has recently introduced a new bingo feature on some of its machines and developing Bluetooth applications.