13 replies to this topic

[yorkie07808]

In this current climate will there be more arcades closing due to the recession. As already i have seen a couple of quicksilvers closing since Christmas. And the crystal ballrooms in Lester square central London shrink to half its size.

[lovespuds]

More than likely, this is all stemmed down to the smoking ban and the loss of revenue on both parts form the government and to the operator. as the customer has to leave the premises to smoke. bingo halls are going the same way. the more coastal towns like blackpool even had the odd arcade shut, due to this we need to put forward action to stop this kind of thing from happening. soon the application of the gambling world will be gone and the manufacturers of the machines will soon close due to no company buying there products.

[Chopaholic]

More than likely, this is all stemmed down to the smoking ban and the loss of revenue on both parts form the government and to the operator. as the customer has to leave the premises to smoke. bingo halls are going the same way. the more coastal towns like blackpool even had the odd arcade shut, due to this we need to put forward action to stop this kind of thing from happening. soon the application of the gambling world will be gone and the manufacturers of the machines will soon close due to no company buying there products.

What a sorry loss to society that would be!

[Matty.N]

More than likely, this is all stemmed down to the smoking ban and the loss of revenue on both parts form the government and to the operator. as the customer has to leave the premises to smoke. bingo halls are going the same way. the more coastal towns like blackpool even had the odd arcade shut, due to this we need to put forward action to stop this kind of thing from happening. soon the application of the gambling world will be gone and the manufacturers of the machines will soon close due to no company buying there products.

No arcades o:

i'd be bored when i go blackpool =/

pleasure beach is a rip off

the sea is shite

so arcades are all that are good :tongue:

[Zoltar]

For an industry that was built on 'free money', money the punter 'punts', they have done well to get this far. Most industries when they are in trouble, seek advice. Wether from the customer it serves, or from their staff it employs. For years, we've been saying what is wrong with fruit machines. What is needed and what is not. Their demise is from nothing else but contempt for the people they claim to serve. Expecting people to be happy with the shite they produce.

Fruit machines won't kill the industry. Even the the public won't kill the industry. But the attitude of the industry influences both of those and it's plain to see it isn't working for them.


But hey, lets not listen to the public again. Lets not make entertaining machines. I know, we'll up the stake to £1 and the jackpot to £70. That will save us all.

They did this before and it didn't improve things. Now it looks like they are foing to do it again.

I'm sure the manufacturers say that they are listening to players. People who are happy to gamble. But pleasing them isn't going to improve the situation. They need to seek out those who have given up. The ex-gambler and the ex casual player. The mums and dads on seaside holidays. People who have given up playing because of the dire crap that now fills our so called 'Entertainment Centres'.

The industry can only save itself by appealing to people who used to play or have never played before. Yeah, they maybe asking questions and talking to the public, but not the ones who can make a difference to their industry.

[stanmarsh14]

One thing that is encouraging though, is that more and more cat D machines comming out, but whilst the price of play is near to what we had about ten years a go, the games and game play are far removed from that era, which is what I believe is what is holding the trade back right now.

If the manus finaly got their shit togeather over that issue, I can possibaly see an upsurge in casual players comming back, mostaly in the costal areas where these cat D's will mostaly be seen, and if that happens, it may actualy wake up the indrustry as a whole, and make everyone think about these new JP's / price of play on cat C's.

It would be very intresting also if some pubs got cat D's in, and see what the takings are compared to cat C's.

If there is any hope for the trade, it's going to be in cat D's right now. The trade needs to now take up this incentive.

[Bencrest]

It would be very intresting also if some pubs got cat D's in, and see what the takings are compared to cat C's.

I know of 3 local pubs that did this, and all three £25 Cat C AWPs were originally making a loss when the rental and AMLD were taken into account. With a Cat D machine, these pubs turned what was a loss of £40 p/w, into actual profit of about £50p/w.

Now, these are quiet rural pubs, and they have very low player throughput, so I've no idea of how well this would work in busy pubs. What was apparent though was that rather than 'nipping to the machine for a second', which is what happened with the £25, people would happy play for an hour or so, buying drinks along the way, and even their usually non-gambling partners didn't seem to mind. Just to note the machines were set on £5/10p/78%.

Edited by Closed Loop, 12 January 2009 - 01:06 PM.

[jaybee]

A local I used to go in had 2 x £5 machines. 3 year old Barcrests / Bell Fruits.

Always being played, landlord went halfs on the takings with the bloke who sited them.

Said it pays for his 2 week cruise every year though. If they were £35 machines, he be lucky to get a weekend in Mablethopre mid November!

[bowie]

I'm quite sure it illegal for a supplier to take a share of the takings, i have one pub here with a £5 Treasure Hunt on 20p a play, illegal as well i'm sure.

[Bencrest]

I'm quite sure it illegal for a supplier to take a share of the takings, i have one pub here with a £5 Treasure Hunt on 20p a play, illegal as well i'm sure.

Basically, it is, yes. Category D (which is exempt from AMLD) is limited to a £5 jackpot at a 10p per game stake. It's only legal to have it if the AMLD is paid, among other things, and it's highly unlikely that's the case.

[jaybee]

I'm sure the supplier is more of a mate, and the machines prob come from eBay.

But it's a good pub, good beer, no cheeky chavs and 6 songs for a quid on the juke box, (which is probably full of CDrs) but who cares!

[bowie]

Basically, it is, yes. Category D (which is exempt from AMLD) is limited to a £5 jackpot at a 10p per game stake. It's only legal to have it if the AMLD is paid, among other things, and it's highly unlikely that's the case.

Nah this pub is in a scottish football teams ground so they probably do have the license, it used to have to £35 machines but went in last week and it was all they had.

[Guitar]

I'm quite sure it illegal for a supplier to take a share of the takings

How else do you think these companies work?

It usually works one of two ways.

1. Pub landlord pays an amount for rental and keeps all the cash box takings.

2. Rental company site the machine and the pub and rental company split the takings.