Britain because of a row involving an Island bar claimed to be showing games illegally.

Shane O'Rourke, president of Setanta Sport, provider of footage of events such as FA Cup and some Premier League soccer and Five Nations rugby union, threatened to "switch off the Island'' if the dispute involving The Beach was not resolved quickly.

O'Rourke said the sports blackout could start as early as this weekend and suggested that coverage of the FA Cup semi-finals could also be blocked.

Setanta supplies coverage from Britain's Sky TV to several pubs and clubs on the Island, including the Robin Hood, Flanagan's, Docksiders, The Country Squire, Young Men's Social Club and and Southampton Rangers Football Club.

O'Rourke, who said he had already confronted management at The Beach, on Front Street, said his blackout threat was intended to protect the interests of his paying customers.

"I'll switch off the Island if I have to,'' said O'Rourke. "I would hope it never comes to that and I would hope I'll be able to come to an arrangement with The Beach, so they take the games legally.'' O'Rourke said he had learned from sources on Bermuda that The Beach had been showing events, for which he claimed he had the sole television rights, for at least the past six weeks.

"I'm just trying to protect the interests of people like the Robin Hood and Flanagan's. This sort of action gets things done quicker than going through lawyers,'' added O'Rourke.

Five Nations rugby games had been sold to his customers as an eight-match package, said O'Rourke, at around $375 per match.

But Rick Olson, manager of The Beach, said he was doing nothing illegal and intended to continue showing British sport.

"I'm not bothered what Mr. O'Rourke says and we will be showing Five Nations rugby this weekend,'' said Olson.

"I have spoken with Mr. O'Rourke and I have offered him a small fee, but he did not accept it. He wants us to pay what the others are paying, but we are a much smaller bar and could not afford it.

"I have consulted with my lawyers about this and what we are doing is not illegal. No-one owns the exclusive TV rights for Bermuda. "We are not stealing his signal, we are just getting it from someone else.'' Olson explained he used a small dish to pick up a signal from Direct TV and the sports events in question were sometimes shown on the Fox Sports channel.

"If the other places are complaining that we are taking their customers, it's just sour grapes. Sport is a marginal thing for us.'' Two of Setanta's customers, while clearly unhappy The Beach was gaining a financial advantage over them, gave a cool reaction to the idea of a blackout.

Gary Sheppard, proprietor of the Robin Hood, which gets all of its Premier League and FA Cup soccer and Five Nations rugby through Setanta, said: "We are aware this is happening and it puts us in an awkward situation.

"We are purchasing a package to show the rugby and due to the price of it, we have been forced to charge people to watch it.'' He added that this charge had been dropped after the first round of matches, as competing establishments had been showing the rugby for free.

"We have quite a big following for the football and rugby, so we buy as much of it as we can. But if someone is showing it without paying for it, that puts us at a disadvantage.

"I believe Shane has spoken to The Beach about the situation and the best outcome would be for them to not show the rugby.

"I hope Setanta don't try to make a point with a blackout, because that way everybody would lose out as no-one would see the games.'' A manager at Flanagan's echoed Sheppard's sentiments and added: "It would be nice if all the establishments on the Island could come together instead of working against each other and try and get the best deal for the customers.'' TELEVISION TV PUB RESTAURANT EAT