The beginning of the end for High St bookies

But how many did they open to get the 4 FOBTS in?

Doesn't matter how many they opened

Who actually bets in a high street bookies shop?

Shops are practically deserted - no point keeping them open

Surprised it has taken this long, they have been sad empty places for a few Years now.

They only survived on drug dealers spare cash.

Good Riddance, and about time too. The atmosphere has changed for the worse enormously; human interactions replaced by electronic sound and flashing lights; 1 out of every 2 is surplus to requirement.

A total revamp is necessary to entice genuine sports customers.

Doesn't matter how many they opened? i'll bet a lot of those new recently opened shops were for FOBTS profit etc.
Not taking bets

I rarely visit my local bookies but when I do I see the same group of people every time.
Maybe the only contact some of them get so for them I feel sorry.

acey deucy
22 Jan 19 21:57
Joined: 29 Sep 02 | Topic/replies: 15,904 | Blogger: acey deucy's blog
Surprised it has taken this long, they have been sad empty places for a few Years now.

Very sad, they were great places once.

I am afraid the internet is also responsible, on whom we are posting

One a town should be enough...there are far too many now.

it the racing keeps going the way its going there will be nothing left to bet on only football,roll on the international matches for some real excitement.

Back in the day

We could only bet on Horse Racing and Greyhound Racing...these sports exist for gambling.

Now we can bet on any sport and other things, particularly football.

This negates a need for a sport that exists only for gambling.

Greyhound racing is in serious danger, but I think there will always be some Horse Racing as it is the sport

of Kings(and the rest of the aristocracy)

Maybe the only contact some of them get so for them I feel sorry.

Sad but very true.

..They wont all close I hope. Leave at least one a town open please

My local bookies, a Corals shop. Not an fobt shop, just old school punters on horse racing and not heavy betters, maybe a hundred quid or so tops which always had to have ptl which was quite frankly an embarrassment for the staff. Closed now. All the old boys that I used to know since I was at school, I'll hardly ever see those chaps again

Where am I gonna get me pens from if they all close down  :-)

But just think of the money that will stay in some of the FOBT guys pockets....kids will get their new shoes....maybe !

they were all warned years ago about killing the golden goose; as usual the greedy bastards didn't listen. Now we will have stories booted about like this every week to try & get some sympathy, when in all truth they would all love to be one-man bands & crucifying the staff anyway

when i see folk on these fobt machines now they are already playing slot machine games at less than £2
a spin. still some guys spreading 250  x 20p chips on roulette of course but they will soon get them
hooked on the £2 slots.

Spare a though for their landlords.

They often provide a social space for often, elderly customers, but at the end of the day the betting industry has been completely revolutionised by the internet and if high street shops aren't financially viable and are frequented by drug dealers laundering their ill gotten gains via the FOBTs then it's best to shut them down.

They will still lose all their money on the FOBT's. Just might take some longer. As if £2 a spin isn't enough. Should be banned altogether and let bookmakers do what they're supposed to.

Santander has just indicated they are closing their branches in Cheam, Worcester Park and Morden in June leaving just Sutton; Barclays, RBS and Lloyds next?

impossible /king louis  your a massive tory fanboy do you support the bank closures

It really doesn't matter because when 5G arrives there wont be any racing to bet on anyways

FOBTS are on the way out anyway

People can spin £40 a pop online looking to win 55,000x wins, so why bother with capped 500x fobts?

Slots online can not only be spun at a ridiculous amounts, they can now buy the feature and lose their money even quicker , all from the comfort of their own home ffs

there's casino employees live streaming on youtube, pretending to be your friend so you click on all their affiliate links, they've got people by the balls online, the providers and casinos have all moved online and are taking millions in record time

And the irony?? not a peep from the mainstream media or the rag newspapers

Mmmmmmm

Go on youtube and there's a guy called "nick slots" who literally is the most obvious smug casino employee of all time, telling all his viewers how much he loves them

People are gullible they really are. this nick slots gets 100% bonuses whenever he wants he's literally just reloading £250 a pop and getting £250 from the casino (500 in total), and making cash outs for 3k almost every day

Errrrrrrrrrrrrrrm

Its like living in a alternate bloody universe, people actually buy it as well

Glorified "professional slot gambler"

"professional slot gambler" he calls himself

Where do I sign up?

I see a slow but inexorable decline in shop numbers until an optimum number is reached. However a) I don’t think it’ll be a complete demise nor do I see it happening overnight. Apropos a) they’ll always be a demand for cash betting and a core number of shops will be  needed to cater for that. In relation to b) there’s the question of lease length to be  taken into account and also once the multiple same chain shops in the same area have been reduced there’s bound to be a stand off. Which off course firm blinks first in each case?

Very interesting times because the theory that shops only really want horse betting as a means to an end (that is to justify the shop being open) is with the FOBT stake reduction about to be subjected to a real  time test!

Yes, the banks are no different; time's changed, and majority of banking are done online; services no longer the same given their recruitment policy post the Banking Crisis eg P45 the experienced and senior members, replaced with school boys at 1/3 the cost.

I did not agree with bailing out some of them either - far too many offering virtually the same services.

Within a four mile radius of my gaff, 6 shops have closed in the last 18 months, more to follow no doubt.

RLKingPunter
22 Jan 19 23:30
Joined: 27 Jan 02 | Topic/replies: 3,547 | Blogger: RLKingPunter's blog
Where am I gonna get me pens from if they all close down  :-)

The only reason to visit the high street bookies for the last ten years has been if you re caught short while doing a spot of shopping.

Can't remember the last time I had a bet in a high street bookies, I only bet with them on course because it's just nice to play with proper cash and get it on your hand on the rare occasion I find a winner.

Jan 23, 2019 -- 8:38PM, parispike wrote:

I see a slow but inexorable decline in shop numbers until an optimum number is reached. However a) I don’t think it’ll be a complete demise nor do I see it happening overnight. Apropos a) they’ll always be a demand for cash betting and a core number of shops will be  needed to cater for that. In relation to b) there’s the question of lease length to be  taken into account and also once the multiple same chain shops in the same area have been reduced there’s bound to be a stand off. Which off course firm blinks first in each case?Very interesting times because the theory that shops only really want horse betting as a means to an end (that is to justify the shop being open) is with the FOBT stake reduction about to be subjected to a real  time test!

Not sure there always be a demand for cash betting tbh, at least enough to keep bookies alive. Most people who bet at bookies now are probs over 50s, so not exactly a sustainable business model long term. Most those under 50 betting at bookies are the types placing like 1 acca a week, and £2 acca's aren't going to keep bookies running, and they can be done online anyway.

As the world moves more and more digital, the demand for high street bookies will be less and less as even if you are out and about and were desperate to bet people will realise it's easier just to do it off their phone than going to the bookies.

irish bookies offices are packed every day,but they will take a bet.

but then again ireland would not have the high speed broadband that the uk have,but surprise surprise Northern ireland bookies have great turnover.
and go into a newsagent shop in all of ireland that some woman at the counter is buying a bundle of scratch cards or placing a lotto bet,it must be something to do with the irish air or something in the blood=THE IRISH LOVE A BET.even the government officials punt.

used to get youngsters popping in to fill in there footie coupons
even that clientel seems to have disappeared
also we hare becoming a cashless society
wtf will be on the high street in five years time

if they are any good at punting they will end up back in the shop

"irish bookies offices are packed every day, but they will take a bet"

I believe they behave like traditional bookies, and do not have fobts either.

I'd go into the bookies if they were not fishing for personal info and betting habits eg types of bets and frequency, id before withdrawal, etc. Also, the fobt addicts, not keen being in their company just in case.

There is a Betfred Near me Packed daily mainly Old boys  , Corals also simular Crowd , Hills Empty and the New Megabet was Lads  , Empty

As IMP stated earlier How often do people go to a bank ?  We all have betting shops on our Phones ...

I said to a Good friend of Mine years ago I rarely go to the Bookies these days , He said You a have a Betting shop in your Front room (my pc)

How many shops did Hills have 15 years ago & how many staff worked in them, what with single manning & the machines now  I doubt there are many more regular staff in their shops now than there were then, do people really fall for all this c r a p

sounds like ch le st casemoney, was up there other day,

same shops same crowds

Thats the One Donny Usually packed    I dont go down alot but Always Busy ..

Was placing bets around there a couple years back Wont go into it but betting Dogs, They were laying to lose a Monkey

Each race didnt bet too many Winners , we had 150 on a Dog hills at 7-1 won was Practically told to fook off and not come

back The manager blamed the cashier for taking the Bet , we wanted 300 on a Dog the next race was 2-1  Would not

take the bet , Watched the race it got beat  , I put the slip on the counter on way out said shame u didnt take that one 

I usually dont bet in them stakes on my own a Oner a big enough bet for me these days ,as stated Betfred seemed fair enough

was in betfred before christmas and manager sent dog punter to hills!

simply refused to take bet, but thought hills would only give him sp !

pretty sad state of affairs...think he wanted 200 on and price was 2/1 ish

How the betting scenario that has evolved with the bookmakers on horses and greyhounds hasn't become a major known issue is beyond me,money/favours have to be involved in the burying of such a disgraceful scenario.