COINSLOT
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Comment and opinion |
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Newsweek |
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INDUSTRY
Park Avenue- where business and social converge
Machine tie removal- a
While the removal of the machine tie could mean significant job losses, the emergence of illegal operators and an adverse effect on Exchequer revenue, not all BACTA members hold the same opinion, as Leslie Macleod-Miller of the trade association explains.
Other members of BACTA
“ have a contrary view for the following reasons and believe that reform is badly needed. These members’ arguments include:
• The machine tie allows large pub companies to abuse their position to the detriment of tenants. Those in favour of change argue that reform would increase fair competition to the benefit of tenants.
• All legal machine suppliers are required to be registered with the Gambling Commission and are listed for inspection on their central database via the Gambling Commission website. A pub tenant can therefore easily check that whoever supplies their machines is compliant with the
Gambling Act 2005.
• They cite the views of The Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland, who leads the all-party Save the Pub group, and has campaigned for legislation to stop what he calls wholly unacceptable rents. Mr Mulholland believes that‘ the problem here is the large pub companies in this country are based on a business model of taking more than is fair and reasonable in pub profits’.
“ Some members believe that reforms of the existing arrangements are urgently needed to help
Park Avenue ticks
TRADE EVENTS
Despite not wanting to market itself as a“ trade show”- due to its organisers’ modesty in wishing to manage overseas delegates’ expectations- the Park Avenue Open Day was a means of seeing a number of coin-op luminaries under one roof, two canopies and a marquee.
By attending last week’ s event, Coinslot was able to speak to BACTA’ s president Steve Hawkins, its CEO Leslie Macleod-Miller, the Gambling Commission’ s John Travers and Stuart McPhee, Electro-