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letter to the editor
Hardy sticks up for SWP sector
Dear Sir I read with interest the piece in the current issue of Euroslot - entitled R . I . P . SWPs ? This item was so poorly researched and so out of touch that it was embarrassing .”
In terms of factual inaccuracies , I can only assume that Ken Turner was misquoted when he supposedly said : ‘.... we also had to lose the Deal or No Deal products .” Of course this is absolutely not the case . The Paragon terminal contains not one but two SWP games with the licensed Deal or No Deal theme , and one of these is a joint development with Endemol that is exclusive to Games Warehouse . In terms of SWP performance , these currently rank at No . 1 ( our own Deal or No Deal : No Questions ) and No . 4 ( Deal or No Deal II ) in the overall nationwide performance charts .
They [ the reporters ] should know that whilst operators such as Mr Turner read trade magazines it is manufacturers who tend to keep them alive with their advertising spend . Whilst this does not include ourselves in the case of Euroslot , their approach to the UK SWP sector has not greatly helped their cause going forwards .
The truest thing that was said in this depressing piece was that ‘ people just aren ’ t going to pubs in the numbers that they were pre-recession . And without customers , the greatest games in the world won ’ t make any money .’ This is not the fault of Games Warehouse and nor john allan is it the fault of Sceptre Leisure or any other operator or manufacturer . It is social , economic politics
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and demographic change , and the only people who can take responsibility for doping more to get people to even enter a pub in the first place is ....? The person who owns and / or runs the pub itself . Surely ? Nick Hardy , Games Warehouse
in for criticism
uth takes a panning , a Llanelli lady meets a lucky black cat at the bingo and a t red handed in the latest coin-op related news .
cluded : “ In case the general decline of seaside towns and the rise in home gaming wasn ’ t enough , government proposals have threatened to make life even tougher , replacing VAT with MGD . The smoking ban hasn ’ t helped either , and all in all the future is not too promising . There are around 500 amusement arcades left in the UK , and most of them are living on the edge .” Elsewhere , a thief was caught red-handed after stealing 500 £ 1 coins from Hereford ’ s Gala Bingo - when he began dropping the money in the street , according to the Ledbury Reporter .
Hereford Magistrates Court was told that Bruce Bishop was seen close to the Berrington Street venue bending down to pick up the dropped change as more and more coins fell from his jacket . Bishop , aged 35 and from Hereford , admitted a charge of theft .
And finally , a bingo hall manager has spoken of his new found belief in superstitions after a black cat brought one of his regulars a spot of good luck , according to the Llanelli Star .
Nigel Griffiths , manager of Llanelli ' s Argos Bingo was joking with twice-weekly bingogoer Dorothy Evans about her recent luck when the pair spotted a coal black cat in the road . Little did they know that this was a sign of luck for the evening to come .
Griffiths said : “ I ’ m entrusted with the important job of picking up Dorothy Evans , to bring her to her twice-weekly visits to the bingo . She has mobility problems , so I go to get her and also take her home afterwards . She ’ s been having a pretty good run of luck recently , so we were talking about that . The only remarkable part of the journey took place in Pontyates when a large , coal black cat meandered imperiously across the road . I said ‘ that ’ s got to be lucky ’, and we both chuckled .”
But during the first few hours at the hall , luck wasn ’ t on Mrs Evans ’ side .
“ Although it was filled with friends and conversations , it was without good fortune sadly ,” said Griffiths . “ But when she played the mega link for a £ 1,000 full house prize , her thoughts were on the journey . She was waiting for two numbers . One came out immediately and a bit later the other one came out . She won the big money .”
Griffiths said he was not usually superstitious , but added : “ I ’ m certainly starting to change my mind .”
Spending Review must stimulate investment in small businesses
John Allan , national chairman , Federation of Small Businesses , believes that the government ’ s Spending Review must stimulate investment in small firms to strengthen the economic environment – leading to the creation of jobs and growth .
ecent research by the FSB sug- there are more than 800
Rgests enterprise support grant schemes available for small firms at the local level , with no less than 18 national schemes . While Government business support is important , the FSB believes the Business Bank is an opportunity to simplify support and focus efforts on delivery so that good policy intentions have a real impact on the ground .
Furthermore , the FSB has asked the Chancellor to set out how the Business Bank will be financed in the long term . In its submission , the organisation suggests that the Business Bank must be independent from Government with its own source of funding .
The FSB has long said that the banking sector needs more competition and believes the Business Bank is fundamental to making this happen . With recent data from the Bank of England showing the main high street banks have reduced lending to small firms , it is imperative that the Business Bank gets this right , first time .
In addition , the FSB wants to see spending retained in key areas such as skills , exports , broadband and transport to support businesses and improve the UK ' s economic outlook . This would provide a long-term commitment to recent policy developments and give small firms greater opportunities to grow . Specifically the FSB is calling for :
• Spending on skills to be maintained with funding for Apprenticeships as a key area with employers , rather than providers , drawing down Government funding
• Funding to be committed to UK Trade and Investment and a focus on helping the smallest firms export for the first time to meet Government targets of 100,000 new exporters by 2020
• Ongoing investment in superfast broadband to maximise
investment opportunities through technical innovation for rural businesses
• Investment in the local road network , targeting investment on those roads with the highest economic benefit , to improve the ability of small firms to move goods and services to support economic growth
The recent economic picture is more positive than we have seen in a while . Our own data shows that confidence is building and is at its highest level since the start of 2011 . The Chancellor must use the Spending Review to build upon this by setting out a longterm vision for ongoing investment in key areas such as skills , exports and broadband as well as the Business Bank .
The Business Bank has the potential to be a game changer in the small business finance market , but only if its aims and funding are clearly set out . What the FSB would like to see is a long-term plan for how the Business Bank will be funded to ensure it remains independent , and for the current ‘ alphabet soup ' of government initiatives tidied up to create a much more focused offering .
With firms struggling to access finance , reforming the business support landscape and putting all funding in one place would make support clearer for small firms , help delivery and improve the environment in which they operate .
Coinslot June 14 - June 20 , 2013 31
“ We did such a good job rebuilding the Hippodrome to its 1902 specifications , British Heritage gave us an award for the restoration .”
JIMMY THOMAS , PRESIDENT , LONDON HIPPODROME
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Email : al @ sjc . co . uk