ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½

Here is the newly-published guide to the world's biggest classical music festival, photographed here at Television Centre this morning:

Published by ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Books, on sale all over the country, prominently displayed at our in-building branch of W H Smith.

But not a few steps away at the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Shop, where they stock just about everything else ever made, published or licenced by the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½. The staff said they had no copies. Not one. Why?

1500 UPDATE: ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide, the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s commercial arm have been in touch to say:

"The day-to-day responsibility for running the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½'s retail stores was transferred from ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide to English Regions at the end of last year and has to date worked very well. The issue concerning stock of the ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Proms booklet at the Television Centre shop centres around a minor administration error which has already been addressed. The Proms booklet is due to go on sale from April 11th and will be available to purchase from that date at our Television Centre outlet.

"It seems that the on-sale date embargo put in place by the publisher, ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Books, has not been adhered to by other retailers."

Asked if there was any truth in a rumour that the lack of Proms booklets was due to an unpaid bill by the shops to Random House, who through Ebury Publishing, now control ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Books, a ÃÛÑ¿´«Ã½ Worldwide spokesman said, "We do not comment on day-to-day commercial issues."

There's no comment as yet from Ebury Books.

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