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hardestgame
09 Jun 15 07:36
Joined:
Date Joined: 29 Apr 11
| Topic/replies: 3,097 | Blogger: hardestgame's blog
a lady member of staff was assaulted and robbed when alone in shop at 10.15 pm
let me tell you ladbrokes that no one should be alone at that time of night and you be  should  be closed by 9.30 pm
Pause Switch to Standard View not safe ladbrokes
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Report ph. June 9, 2015 2:58 PM BST
if a Judge found in favour of Ladbrokes how can you have faith in the judicial system and the Legal Aid assistance has greatly decreased.
Report ph. June 9, 2015 3:01 PM BST
look the area isn't a dump, in many parts of London it would be very acceptable with trees lining all the roads and avenues in the surrounding area. I know a bit about the case now through Laddies employees and it stinks, the loss of the appeal was staggering.
Report SlippyBlue June 9, 2015 3:12 PM BST
Going back a few years now but my local shop was robbed at gun point. To make the manager know he was deadly serious he fired his shotgun into the ceiling filling the shop with gun smoke. As this was happening people were still trying to put bets on, the manager had a nervous breakdown and never worked in a betting shop again.
Report ph. June 9, 2015 3:16 PM BST
I think I know old school managers who would keep taking the bets with one hand assuring punters bet will be settled in the morning as the shop will soon be bereft of folding and hand over the contents of the shaker with the other to get rid of the perp and not disrupt to much of his customers betting experience.
Report cardifffc June 9, 2015 3:54 PM BST
slippy i no i shouldnt butLaughLaughLaugh
Report spellingandgrammarchecker June 9, 2015 4:04 PM BST
I put this on chit not long ago.

Yesterday, on BBC regional news pages, there was a report of an alleged serious assault in a Ladbrokes shop in King Street, Leicester, on Friday.

The shop was said to be closed by the police while investigation was under way.

How does a serious assault take place in a bookies, with no witnesses, I asked myself.

It must be the a manager or manageress, and he/she was alone when it happened, either out in the public area, or there's no bandit screen. 

==========================================================

The same item of news on the BBC regional page has been re-worded today.

A 43 year old man has been charged with attempted murder, robbery and sexual assault, at a shop in Leicester.

A 50 year old man has been charged with assisting an offender.

But now there is no mention of it being a Ladbrokes shop,  or even a bookies.

Somewhat mystified, I googled the Leicester news site.

That report confirms the sex, age and charges against the suspects.

It says King Street, but calls it a 'City centre business'

I used Google maps for King Street, Leicester, and it's nowhere near the city centre, and it looks like it's flanked by mostly fields.

A search for 'Ladbrokes, Leicester' gives the address as Market Place, Leicester.

I was hoping to launch into a tirade about under-manned shops and a lack of bandit screens. but that will have to wait until it's ascertained it was a bookies.

And much to my surprise, both of the alleged criminals have the same surname, which is Singh.

(Note that the PC BBC don't name the alleged criminals)
Report hardestgame June 9, 2015 5:04 PM BST
racing post said it was a LADBROKES shop
Report money talks,bulls**twalks June 9, 2015 5:24 PM BST
JUST GOT BK FROM A LADDYS THERE OPENING TOMMORRROQ 12-6 THE MANAGER SAIS SHE WAS KNOCKED OUT THEN RAPED...............SO NEXT TIME YA TAKING THE EURINE THINK ABOUT THAT POOR KID
Report money talks,bulls**twalks June 9, 2015 6:04 PM BST
HEARTS 1874......YOUR A PROPER DARLING
Report spellingandgrammarchecker June 9, 2015 6:17 PM BST
Perhaps Ladbrokes will now stop having shops manned by just one member of staff.

There is no office or warehouse in the UK that allows it under H&S rules. 

The seem to have had the power to get their name removed from the BBC report and replaced with 'City centre business'
Report casemoney June 9, 2015 7:02 PM BST
They don,t care, manager of my Local shop (Ladbrokes) alone early Saturday morning had his head smashed in with a Hammer ,Dead ,you think
they would learn but the staff are infact treated as if worthless ,These shops should be manned by Security Guards in the
evening no need for Betting shop staff anymore all they are doing is looking after the money in the shop and hoping to deter people from smashing the machines up ,the poor bastards working these late night shops on their own must be terrified ..

They wont stop spelling They don't care mate ...
Report casemoney June 9, 2015 7:05 PM BST
a reminder for her that she should have tried harder at school. Laugh

1 She could be Student
2 A lady looking for part time work
3 You are a fxcking idiot Laugh
Report Dav_vin03 June 9, 2015 7:09 PM BST
well said casemoney

he probably thinks its the immigrants own fault for dieing in the mediterranean for being born in cr*p countries and wanting to better their lives.
Report casemoney June 9, 2015 7:16 PM BST
If these were Pubs not betting shops with these Kind of Incidents taking place ,They would be shut Down Plain
Report GLASGOWCALLING June 9, 2015 8:14 PM BST
CASEMONEY spot on about that hearts moron.

i read the article in the racing post and  saw no mention of single manning, but there must be questions asked and changes made if that

was the case. sorry to say many of us could and have predicted cases like this. !!   usual standard reply from ladcrooks about maybe

changing its staffing and security proceedures.  SadSad
Report ronnie rails June 9, 2015 10:57 PM BST
Two lads shops near me have both been robbed while a woman was single manning, the first a couple of years ago, the girl was beaten up and only passers by stopped it from being worse than it was, they shut that shop and moved it round the corner to the high street.

18 month ago in my local lads a girl was threatened by an axe wielding thug, after it happened they stopped single manning but only for 6 months, I went round there last week and she was single manning again and there is still a chunk out of the counter were the axe hit it.

I remember days when you wouldn't rob a shop cause the punters would have you, now they are only interested in stopping you getting a decent bet on cause they are lined up at the counter playing the bingo.

closing at 9.30 tonight and had to tell the 6 guys at the counter playing bingo and 2 at the machines to get out; politely of coursePlain, paid till 9.35 but the punters didn't leave till then so by the time id counted up 10pm when I got out, cant wait for my 13 hour shift tomorrow.

looking for another job but the only places advertising are bookmakers, wonder why that is?Grin

night folks and to all you betting shop staff stay safe.
Report Dav_vin03 June 9, 2015 11:00 PM BST
all the best ronnie
Report casemoney June 9, 2015 11:02 PM BST
G luck Ron
Report GLASGOWCALLING June 9, 2015 11:11 PM BST
ronnie, it still amazes me how this single manning is allowed in the first place, what if you want a toilet break, lunch break, feel ill.

as someone mentioned earlier in most places of work now a risk assessment has to be in place Laugh

you couldnt get a more dangerous scenario than a young girl on her own, money on premises, disgruntled machine players.
Report casemoney June 9, 2015 11:24 PM BST
Ladbrokes have no excuses man brutally murdered in a shop last year ,if he was not on his own would not have happened
and these are the reported incidents what about shops being smashed up staff assaulted its about time something was done
Im sure these machines could cover the cost of an extra employee ...
Report the dealer June 9, 2015 11:29 PM BST
greed pure and simple, they simply cant make enough money. nothing else matters
Report spellingandgrammarchecker June 9, 2015 11:42 PM BST
How would Laddies like it if one of their staff organised a nationwide one day mid-week strike in protest at single manning.

If they don't change it in a month, hold another 24 hour strike on a Saturday.

They can't sack them all.
Report the dealer June 9, 2015 11:48 PM BST
trouble is it wouldnt be 100% imo which it needs to be
Report the dealer June 9, 2015 11:48 PM BST
would
Report the dealer June 9, 2015 11:48 PM BST
sorry right the first time
Report CorridorofUncertainty June 10, 2015 12:39 AM BST
I was once in a Coral in East London and a female member of staff politely asked a young group that entered for id. They gave her massive grief. I told them they should be ashamed of themselves, then they gave me massive grief and we continued the discussion outside. They are all cowards - if you stand up to them, a lot cower away.
Report CorridorofUncertainty June 10, 2015 12:41 AM BST
like all bullies
Report CorridorofUncertainty June 10, 2015 12:52 AM BST
unfortunately a couple of them didnt
Report hardestgame June 10, 2015 8:50 AM BST
will ladbrokes review policy and decide it is cheaper to continue one person manning and when staff get raped ,killed and robbed pay them compensation
i bet thats what they do
just total bar stewards
Report trevor007 June 10, 2015 10:16 AM BST
do you know the name of the victim ph? I'd like to read the court transcript; I have experience in this area and based on the facts of the latest case I can't see anything that will prevent a successful civil damages claim from the victim and a criminal prosecution against the employer.

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/ladbrokes-payout-cashier-traumatised-armed-3647845

outcome of appeal

http://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/coventry-news/coventry-ladbrokes-betting-shop-robbery-5074620
Report ph. June 10, 2015 12:03 PM BST
Kerry Nicholls, no doubt she got legal aid funded defence working at claiming level at best whilst the Ladbrokes machine employed a group class QC with Club connections to the presiding wig wearer. She never had a chance, now it seems with this single manning attack in Leicester that Ladbrokes have somehow managed to keep their name out of the reporting media. Yes they are a retail unit but they have huge security issues with cash on premises, no protective screened counters, female single manning and an industry with a history of being robbed for small amounts.
Report TheCollector June 10, 2015 12:20 PM BST
Worst bookmaker out. Hope it gets shut down one day.
Report Life-Lucky June 10, 2015 12:36 PM BST
Surely, gender is legally irrelevant here but their CEO takes literally millions in salary and bonuses. Just saying

http://www.ladbrokesplc.com/media/key-facts.aspx
Report parispike June 10, 2015 3:59 PM BST
The "Coventry case" was not a lone worker situation. Point 14 in the Court of Appeal transcript http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2013/1963.html
makes this clear.

This changes the dynamic imo; whilst I disagree with the decision (it was a majority not unanimous verdict) it is not perverse. I can see why it was taken no further.
Report parispike June 10, 2015 4:09 PM BST
My earlier post should not be taken as inferring that I have anything but sympathy for the claimant who has clearly suffered a horrible ordeal.
Report ph. June 10, 2015 4:15 PM BST
I knew it wasn't a single manning example but thought people should be aware of Ladbrokes stance in setting a precedent not to pay out to victims of crime and terror. I half expect they will claim the latest victim was wearing provocative socks or smelling flagrantly fragrant or perhaps smiled to establish a rapport with customer.
Report oldbean June 10, 2015 6:43 PM BST

Jun 10, 2015 -- 6:36AM, Life-Lucky wrote:


Surely, gender is legally irrelevant here but their CEO takes literally millions in salary and bonuses. Just sayinghttp://www.ladbrokesplc.com/media/key-facts.aspx


blood money

Report parispike June 10, 2015 6:53 PM BST
There is not strict liability in such circumstances ph. Much as I detest Badblokes they have fought the case in a civil trial and won. It's the way civil law works. I don't agree with the decision but it is what happened.
Report spellingandgrammarchecker June 11, 2015 12:37 AM BST
They know full well the bad publicity they will get over this, that's why they got the BBC and others to change it from a 'Ladbrokes betting shop' to a 'city centre business'.

I'd like to see their CEO in the 'Undercover Boss' programme, but it would never be broaadcast.
Report ph. June 11, 2015 2:41 AM BST
but how have the media stopped reporting accurately? It was a Ladbrokes shop so that is factual,it isn't scaremongering amongst female single manning as they knew the risk issues and throughout the company this will have only enforced it. If an employee was raped or sexually assaulted whilst working at M&S,McD's or Sainsburys it would be part of the report that the public would feel should be common knowledge. The media should also hold its head in shame for failing to meet public duty obligations. If not to make female employees of Ladbrokes aware but to communicate to female punters that there is no security in Ladbrokes premises for employees or customers.
Report spellingandgrammarchecker June 11, 2015 11:43 AM BST
The BBC did report it was a Laddies shop before they changed it, but didn't report the full facts because the pair involved were asian.
Report ima_mazed66 June 12, 2015 3:15 AM BST
So let me see if I follow here. Ladbrokes tell all of their staff:

If a robbery occurs then they should remain calm, activate the panic alarm if it's safe to do so and finally to Co-operate with the robbers.

Yet apparently also tell them "not to allow unauthorised persons in the counter area and always lock the counter door" which makes perfect sense under most circumstances, like to stop someone sneaking or trying the door to get behind the counter by themselves. Yet when the young girl has a gun pointed at her and she is ordered to let the robbers into that otherwise restricted counter area, she is laughably punished for it due to going against company policy, despite their company procedures previously advising staff to co-operate during a robbery.

No doubt if the young girl was a jobsworth and followed company procedure to the letter at her own personal risk so that the robbers broke their way into getting behind the counter and shot her and/or the other member of staff who gave evidence against her, if either or both were killed then Ladbrokes would have been saying she should have just co-operated and followed er, company procedure as they advise in these instances. They can't have it both ways can they? Imagine she did that and ended up dead, what would the big cheeses at Ladbrokes say to her parents?

"We're sorry for you loss but we are proud of your daughter for strictly following Ladbrokes' company policy."
Report Breedingmad June 12, 2015 3:18 AM BST
The whole game is winners vs losers and costExcited
Report hardestgame June 12, 2015 8:38 AM BST
anyone who lives near leicester know if local press or paper printed this attack
Report hardestgame June 12, 2015 1:57 PM BST
so no people live in leicester
that can read
Report Nirnaeth Arnoediad June 12, 2015 8:03 PM BST
http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Woman-hospital-alleged-sexual-city-bookmak...
Report THE-GHOST-OF-DICKIE-BIRD June 12, 2015 8:56 PM BST
Hello GrandadHappy

Terrable this aint it, poor womanSad
Report casemoney June 12, 2015 11:53 PM BST
A memo was sent to All Ladbrokes Staff regarding this ,and that area managers would be on Site to calm staff Plain JOKE
Report doantwin2easy June 13, 2015 12:07 AM BST
they have become easy targets. 20 years ago it was called steaming and it was few and far between.

they've got to do something to stop this. The banks have.
Report armpits June 13, 2015 2:20 AM BST
Absolutely disgusting.  The only language these feckers (Ladbrokes etc) understand is to stop betting with them.  They clearly don't give a toss about the human beings they employ.  The fact they weaselled themselves out of that court case says it all.  On here, we all love a bet but if at all possible, avoid them feckers.  Punish them by shopping elsewhere.  They'll soon be doing their market research asking why their profits are down. Spread the word.  F*ck 'em.
Report stevo1 June 13, 2015 3:29 AM BST
Agree with above,but they are not alone.
Report ease June 13, 2015 11:17 AM BST
Indeed they are not stevo- a betfred shop in this area has been robbed four times in three years and they still choose not to install bandit screens
Report EIRROG May 15, 2016 11:07 AM BST
Any more news on this ?


I Read this on another forum .................The horrific attempted murder and rape of a female worker at a Ladbrokes shop in Leicester was followed last week by another young female cashier being held at knifepoint whilst left on her own running a shop. Single staffing is an unacceptable practise and shows just how irresponsible the bookmakers are being.”
Report Nightfly May 15, 2016 11:28 AM BST
So we have The Gambling Commission, What the hell is the point of their existence if they dont force the industry 'To help keep crime out of Gambling'.

Closing at 9.30 latest and ending single manning must be a must..but undoubtedly they are government 'sponsored' to make it look like gambling is properly regulated.

World is a massively corrupt place...corruption pours out of every corner.
Report ronnie rails May 15, 2016 11:44 AM BST
eorrog

if it was the one in Darlo last week it was the second time the lady who's is in her 60's has been attacked at knifepoint, she is in a bad way still off work and doesn't want to go back, the scum got away with £750 and all that the firm is concerned about is the fact she had this amount in her till and the safe instead of in the insert, so she will be up for a disciplinary and I am not joking!!
Report Sowerby Boy May 15, 2016 11:47 AM BST
Some staff don't help themselves though. At least two young women in my locality are quite happy to work alone at night! They even volunteer!
Report sparrow May 15, 2016 11:53 AM BST
Are the people who work in this industry no longer members of a trade union?
Report EIRROG May 15, 2016 12:28 PM BST
Nightfly ............spot on !
Ronnie rails ........ no its the lad bokes leicester rape and attempted murder case thats on going !
Sowerby ............. some staff do indeed act foolishly however being put in a precarious position by the greedy man at the top changes the dynamics of the staff mind , but the fat cat does not care about that #cashisking
Sparrow...............I was in the union 15 years of my 27 in the game never did me any good!
Report sparrow May 15, 2016 12:41 PM BST
EIRROG, the point about union representation is that the vast majority of workers need to be members and then they can properly organise. Unfortunately this has rarely been the case in this industry and until it is you will get absolutely nowhere with the employers.
Report EIRROG May 15, 2016 1:43 PM BST
I get your point however it will never be the case = never be any use sadly
Report sparrow May 15, 2016 1:53 PM BST
Trade unions don't just organise strikes but amongst other things provide access to legal advice and representation. Moaning about conditions to the social media and the press achieves little but sympathy.
Report Nightfly May 15, 2016 1:55 PM BST
IS it not the case that Bookmakers 'dont recognise union representation'
Pure intimidation..again how can this situation be allowed to fester against basic employee saftey at work rights.

If these bookmakers were in France..they would have no staff. and there wouldnt be a raft of traumatised staff , and indeed staff that have been tragically killed.

The industry is a disgrace hell bent on greed greed greed and cares about nothing other than their vile net profit.

By all means you are a business..make a healthy profit...but not at the death knell of your underpaid devalued and distressed staff.
Feels like something you would write in Dickensian times ..NOT 2016
Report Nightfly May 15, 2016 1:58 PM BST
Exactly Sparrow..At the very least. TU representation it forces them to work within legal frameworks and in a lot of cases forces safer working practices
Report EIRROG May 15, 2016 4:34 PM BST
i was told by my employer that indeed " WH Bookmakers 'dont recognise union representation" unless they get 50% employees to sign up this included all staff cleaners as well ..........
Report sparrow May 15, 2016 4:57 PM BST
The bookmaking industry will do everything in their powers to prevent trade union representation. They realise that it is the one big threat to their business practices.
Report ima_mazed66 May 15, 2016 10:09 PM BST
Why do you just know though that the first words out of their PR mouthpiece will we...

"We at L@dbrokes make the safety of our customers and staff our highest priority blah blah blah.....!

Yet we seem to live in an age where as long as something is said enough times, therefore is must make it true despite plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise.
Report EIRROG May 16, 2016 9:21 AM BST
ima_mazed66 there is a betting shop page on facebook where details of robberies and fobts getting smashed up are posted almost daily,  yet shop staff who are treated like  the lowest of the low in food chain keep getting told incidents are on the decline .............. =LIES !!!
Report hardestgame May 16, 2016 9:50 AM BST
ladbrokes like most big firms base their policies on risk profiles
its a lot cheaper to have single manning and pay compensation when a member of staff gets hurt,raped or even murdered than to do the job properly
it wont change
why. because they CAN
Report millhouse May 16, 2016 12:48 PM BST
Yet we seem to live in an age where as long as something is said enough times, therefore is must make it true despite plenty of evidence to suggest otherwise.


Ima mazed, we live in an age where highly educated people come out of University and now see PR, or more accurately, lying for a living, as a genuine career option.

If you work in commercial PR your job is to make people believe lies - nothing else, imo...
Report ima_mazed66 May 18, 2016 8:06 AM BST
ima_mazed66    15 May 16 22:09 
Why do you just know though that the first words out of their PR mouthpiece will we...

"We at L@dbrokes make the safety of our customers and staff our highest priority blah blah blah.....!


Chief executive Jim Mullen:

"The suggestion I have put profits before lives is bunkum. Health and safety is a non-negotiable part of the business."

Hmmmm.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ladbrokes-accused-over-lone-worker-7993678
Report parispike May 18, 2016 8:48 AM BST
We know what they SAY; it's what they DO that matters.
Report hardestgame May 18, 2016 8:57 AM BST
i put this thread in june last year and its still the same in ladbrokes and many other shops
it saving them millions of pounds BUT A WHAT PRICE
the cost of everything and the value of nothing
Report ima_mazed66 May 18, 2016 9:46 AM BST
I think the term for it is collateral damage, which basically means it's a price worth pay if it saves money.

Very similar to Thatcher's Care in the Community money saving plan or how that bloke with mental health issues has been in the news lately for stabbing the old bloke multiple times in that road rage incident, where the NHS Trust executives were trying to run healthcare via the balance sheet.
Report halcyon days May 18, 2016 9:56 AM BST
One of the under lying principles of any form of governance ( right wing/ left wing )...


we're in power...... the poor don't matter !


How, in the name of God have we got into a position where perhaps twenty casino ''bankers' '' have bankrupted the country and, yet are still ''free'' ( sic ) to carry on as normal !


Shame on both Labour and the Conservatives !
Report halcyon days May 18, 2016 9:59 AM BST
And, in the case of the BIG6 bookmaking firms greed is good !


Corals have just been fined £846,000 and P addy Power just under £300,000 re: not following POC...


Proceeds of Crime legislation !
Report ronnie rails May 18, 2016 10:07 AM BST
hal

that fine is small wait till a case comes up in September

regards
Report PorcupineorPineapple May 18, 2016 10:12 AM BST
I worked in betting shops from 92-96 and I single manned plenty of times. Admittedly it wasn't late at night but usually in the morning until I'd get a part time cashier rock up round lunch time.

At the same time I've been robbed in a busy shop on a saturday afternoon with 5 staff behind the counter.

As for closing times, how do you decide on the time, or how should the GC dictate what time they should shut? 9.30? Why not 9.00? In fact I don't think the GC have much involvement on closing times here, I think it'll be down to the local authority. They could potentially do risk assessments and give the premises licence with conditions attached such as closing times.



My one angle would be to use the primary gambling activity line that the GC recently used to knock back a big pub chain who tried to get a bingo licence purely so they could throw some machines into their bars. Essentially, they said there must be a primary activity conducted to maintain that licence. You can't just open a cabin with 4 machines and pretend it's a betting shop. So to turn it on its head, if you're a betting shop then your primary purpose is to provide betting on horses and dogs. Then you could tag your closing time to the last race of the day. Of course that's now complicated by international racing, by in play betting on football, rugby and darts and I'm sure the dog tracks wouldn't need much persuasion to push their cards back a bit to finish a bit later.
Report IDKW May 18, 2016 10:22 AM BST
Using the "primary gambling activity" line would result in the lot of em losing their licenses immediately.
Report halcyon days May 18, 2016 10:42 AM BST
Hiya Ronnie, I await with interest !
Report EIRROG May 18, 2016 12:19 PM BST
ExcitedExcitedExcited
Report xmoneyx May 18, 2016 1:18 PM BST
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/ladbrokes-staff-raped-killed-firm-7994485





Sad
Report GREEDISGOOD May 18, 2016 1:35 PM BST
ladcr00ks don't care.  they are covered by insurance, and usually do not call the police over violence or criminal damage in shops.  this is because the council are likely to revoke their license if it continues often
Report EIRROG May 25, 2016 2:08 PM BST
https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/culture/opinion/campaign-fairer-gamblin...
Report EIRROG May 25, 2016 2:58 PM BST
https://www.politicshome.com/news/uk/culture/opinion/campaign-fairer-gambling/75394/fobt-crime-bunkum-and-ladbrokes-ceo



“Betting shops have now become the target of choice for both organised armed gangs and localised anti-social behaviour” wrote a former Labour Cabinet Minister in 2008. That was in a report the Campaign for Fairer Gambling (CFG) brought into the public domain in 2013 just after a Ladbrokes manager had been bludgeoned to death by a FOBT player whilst lone staffing. The report also concluded “the introduction of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals has seen a rise in problem gambling which manifests itself in physical attacks on betting shop staff'”.

Last week a man was convicted of viciously raping a young female cashier in another Ladbrokes shop. Again he had been playing a FOBT shortly before the assault and again the cashier had been left on her own – in a newly opened shop where no risk assessment had been carried out. Yet Ladbrokes CEO, Jim Mullen, says it is “bunkum” to suggest profits have been put before lives, conveniently overlooking the £200 million his company has shaved off staff costs.

In the rape trial, Ladbrokes were accused of prioritizing “profit over the health and safety of its employees.” That accusation did not come from CFG, nor the press, nor any politician – it came from Ladbrokes own Head of Health and Safety – a man with 27 years’ service and whom Mr Mullen now says is to be sacked for “poor performance”. Like Paul Pearce, the former Ladbrokes security manager who blew the whistle on internal cover-ups to hide the scale of under-age gambling and violence in Ladbrokes shops; the Campaign for Fairer Gambling believes that the Ladbrokes CEO is trying to trash his former employee’s reputation, in order to keep a lid on the escalating level of violence being experienced in his shops and the reasons for it.

Malcolm George, (CEO of the Association of British Bookmakers (ABB)) would be well advised to set a direct line up to the Ladbrokes CEO to keep up with the ongoing revelations seeping out, before he goes on TV again claiming betting shops are the safest place to gamble. Mr George is learning that no matter what he says, his members’ actions contradict every one of his bold statements. Like the ABB legal threat to journalists warning - “any suggestion that our client is encouraging problem gambling or not taking all the necessary steps to protect gamblers against falling into gambling addiction would be wholly untrue and highly defamatory” which was followed a few days later by Paddy Power being reprimanded for “encouraging a gambler until he lost his home, job and family”.

FOBTs have transformed betting shops from ambient, soft gambling environments into hard core, high stake, mini casinos most prevalent in the poorest communities. Is it a coincidence that there has been an escalation in Police call outs to betting shops (despite what the Campaign believes to be bookmaker attempts to dumb the figures down), a record number of FOBTs being smashed up, increasing reports of incidents of anti-social behaviour in the news and more people coming forward to blow the whistle on the attempts to cover it up?

The latest revelations from Ladbrokes should cause concern to every person who values a land based betting sector, because the very foundations that have kept betting shops an integral part of our communities since the 1960’s are being eroded by the toxicity of FOBTs and the failure of bookmaking executives to face up to the problem.

In December last year, 22 MPs wrote to the ABB calling for an end to lone-staffing. Like the warnings from a Cabinet Minister in 2008, the ABB rebutted the call. When individual MPs have spoken up in the past about their concerns for staff safety, it isn’t long before the ABB recruitment campaign swings into action, silencing MPs like Chris Evans.

This article is published on the 25th May 2016 as a reminder to the bookmakers and politicians – particularly those in the pocket of the ABB – that on this day three years ago Andrew Lacovou was murdered whilst lone staffing a Ladbrokes shop in Morden by a FOBT user. The shocking revelations now coming out of Ladbrokes show that nothing has changed.

CEOs like Mr Mullen are here today gone tomorrow with a hefty salary and bonuses along the way – which the Campaign believes are largely derived from FOBTs.  For most bookmaker CEOs the last few years have been spent protecting the FOBT cash cow at all costs and Mr Mullen is desperately trying to do just that, prior to a proposed merger with Coral.

Resolution of the FOBT problem will not come from misleading responsible gambling marketing campaigns. The bookmakers are ignoring that FOBTs are now not just linked to problem gambling, but murder, rape and suicides. How many more violent incidents and deaths are we going see before the Government stops dithering and stalling on FOBTs?
Report ima_mazed66 May 26, 2016 12:29 AM BST
The easiest way to put a stop to prioritising profit over staff safety is that if any murder, rape or robbery is committed in a single-staffed shop which then leads to a conviction and prison time for the offender, charge the CEO of any bookmaker operating single-staffing where those crimes happen as an accessory and give them prison time too.

If it really is "bunkum to suggest profits have been put before lives" because their shops are actually safe and if they genuinely do put their staff safety top of their list then those CEOs should have no worries about ever being in a position of having to go to prison anyway.
Report hardestgame May 26, 2016 6:06 AM BST
murder and rape have already happened in lads shops
ill be going lads william hills and corals today for early prices
i bet they will all be single staffed
Report hardestgame May 26, 2016 11:40 AM BST
went to all 3 firms
ALL single staffed and they have to go into shop from behind the counter if problem with fobts
Report JML May 26, 2016 12:08 PM BST
It's only the very busy shops that have more than one staff in the mornings.
Report PorcupineorPineapple May 26, 2016 2:20 PM BST
Most betting shops have always been single manned during the morning.
Report polab May 26, 2016 2:36 PM BST
As some of these CEO's like to show some fake empathy with their staff on the frontline, maybe Jim could go to one of their shops in a less desirable area and experience a bit of single manning for himself in the evenings for a couple of weeks. I'm sure he would enjoy it.
Report ima_mazed66 May 26, 2016 6:45 PM BST
Yeah I was aware of that hardestgame and that's why I listed those specific crimes in my post really.

I remember seeing a CCTV still photo of the bloke who murdered the single manned shop manager with a hammer and remember think surely someone must recognise him because he had several quite distinctive facial birthmarks, until I then  found out that they were blood spatters.

If any other high street businesses like a chain or pubs or nightclubs had crime records as bad as bookies then they would probably be closed down.
Report ronnie rails May 26, 2016 7:01 PM BST
polab

"As some of these CEO's like to show some fake empathy with their staff on the frontline, maybe Jim could go to one of their shops in a less desirable area and experience a bit of single manning for himself in the evenings for a couple of weeks. I'm sure he would enjoy it"

perhaps Mr Hornby would like to go and work in the shop at Carlisle that was robbed at gunpoint last week, or maybe Mr Mullen would like to go to the shop in Darlington where for the second time the poor girl had a knife pushed at her throat.

From the area managers upwards in all of these businesses they couldn't give a monkeys about the staff, just the targets and how much achieving these targets will put extra money in their wage packets not the people who achieve them, but then again the managers of the shop gets the extra money for the shop achieving the targets and not the staff who actually work like hell to achieve them while the manager sits back and watches.
Report casemoney May 26, 2016 7:15 PM BST
The Shops I have visited that are mannned by a Lone female in the Evening is unreal Plain

I used to live round the corner from the Shop where the manager was murdered Sad
Report liberator of the oppressed May 26, 2016 7:23 PM BST
Would Mullen or Hornby let his wife or daughter single man/woman?
Report johnn May 26, 2016 7:25 PM BST
I once passed 30 mins in the Laddies near Central Station in Glasgow on a Friday night. Chuck Norris with a bazooka would have struggled to single man that shop on that particular night.
Report casemoney May 26, 2016 7:37 PM BST
I managed a shop for Lads near Lancaster road Nottinghill  for lads (was relief manager Late 80s,Old bill had CCTV set up on the door Laugh ) Drug Dealers Etc ,Strangely there was never any grief ,was not too many bets to settle tbh ..
Report ima_mazed66 May 26, 2016 7:46 PM BST
No FOBT or racing all afternoon and evening and Sunday then either I wouldn't have thought though.

Something else to consider too is that if they are only allowed so many FOBT per shop and so their greed has led to opening up more shops in order to get around this, then that might well explain why they are having to go to single-staffed shops due to not being able to have enough staff to cover everywhere.

Of course they will still advertise jobs for staff whenever new branches are open but that assumes they hold on to all existing staff, as well as the working conditions aren't exactly great for the wages they pay either.

When do their staff even find the time to eat or go to the toilet?
Report ronnie rails May 26, 2016 8:20 PM BST
ima_mazed66

cant tell you in the 15 years I have been working for joes how many staff have left after 1 shift, most of them under 30 and think all they have to do is sit behind a counter and serve customers not realising the unsocial hours and unsociable punters, one lad started Monday this week and walked out on Tuesday after a punter screamed and chucked something at them cause they couldn't get a bet on 5 seconds after the race was off.

talking to a guy from PTL last week about staff and he said 40% of new starters don't last a year, I'm surprised its not more given the new staff we go through in our area.
Report Wildcat Army. May 27, 2016 10:33 AM BST
Reduce the number of FOBT's or limit the stakes down to £2 per spin.

Lets see how many shops reduce their hours from 7am to 10pm in an instant and how many shops close.
Report ima_mazed66 May 27, 2016 1:38 PM BST
I can well believe that ronnie rails and you would probably get less aggro these days working in a benefits office.
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