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OK, I live in a small Somerset town with just the one bookie now, a Baldy shop...
Very friendly shop, everyone knows everyone, a good social for some of the single old boys who get in there everyday
A old boy, let's call him Bob, mid 80s, comes in every day, does a 20p win lucky15, total 3 quid
He hands over his ticket from the previous day, doesn't check the results, just trusts them to pay him any winnings
His wife has passed away, only life is to have his daily 3 quid bet, and a couple of pints in spoons
His house is worth 500k and he's got a good income in pensions
Showed me a letter this evening that he was given today saying that due to Baldy "being socially responsible" he has been banned from the shop as of straight away
No reasons given, though I suspect it's because he sometimes because he's a bit forgetful and fumbles around a bit at the counter with his change
He is totally devastated, doesn't understand why, just given a letter and told that's it
Imo, I think they are maybe having to satisfy some sort of quota of banning so many customers to satisfy the government safe gambling rules... Easy to ban a 3 pound a day customer, and let the machine, thousand pound a day losers, who clearly are not gambling responsibly to carry on swearing at the machine... Coffee, Sir?
Anyway, rant over
Be interested in any opinions, especially someone like Ronnie
Very friendly shop, everyone knows everyone, a good social for some of the single old boys who get in there everyday
A old boy, let's call him Bob, mid 80s, comes in every day, does a 20p win lucky15, total 3 quid
He hands over his ticket from the previous day, doesn't check the results, just trusts them to pay him any winnings
His wife has passed away, only life is to have his daily 3 quid bet, and a couple of pints in spoons
His house is worth 500k and he's got a good income in pensions
Showed me a letter this evening that he was given today saying that due to Baldy "being socially responsible" he has been banned from the shop as of straight away
No reasons given, though I suspect it's because he sometimes because he's a bit forgetful and fumbles around a bit at the counter with his change
He is totally devastated, doesn't understand why, just given a letter and told that's it
Imo, I think they are maybe having to satisfy some sort of quota of banning so many customers to satisfy the government safe gambling rules... Easy to ban a 3 pound a day customer, and let the machine, thousand pound a day losers, who clearly are not gambling responsibly to carry on swearing at the machine... Coffee, Sir?
Anyway, rant over
Be interested in any opinions, especially someone like Ronnie
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Replies: 111
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i'd advise him to carry on going in..let them call the police..be a great advertisement..get the local rag involved.
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or glue the locks.
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Ironically, Rico...
The letter said that if he attempted to come into the shop again or any other baldy shop, the Police would be called!!! Couldn't make it up |
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That is terrible. Everybody should boycott the shop Reg until he is reinstated.
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Stinking
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Weres ron
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Agree mighty, trouble is we lost the competitor shop a year ago
I'm sure if that was still there it would work |
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Perhaps they think he is getting senile? Can`t be because he got a 20p lucky 15 up, surely? Must be the former?
... surely somebody in the pub will put his bets on now. ... but can`t if you all do the right thing and boycott lol. |
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Mighty mac, that is exactly it, they are suggesting he's going senile and therefore as they are socially responsible they can't accept his bets anymore
It's absolutely not true, he can just be a bit slow sometimes Meanwhile, they allow another old boy to sit there for hours feeding the machines, doing his absolute cahonas everyday, and has to look up his pin number on a piece of paper every time he tops up |
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A visit to his MP would seem to be in order.
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Reg, is it a permanent manager in there?
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Yes, swifty, very young and a company person... Just does what they're told
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Then, assuming most of the customers know 'Bob' and what's happened you should all do what themightymac suggested and boycott the shop.
The manager won't last long with no slips over the counter. |
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Swifty, I agree, I would do it, no problem
But people being what they are, and with no close alternative, probably wouldn't get enough to join in Also, it's a seaside town, so half the punters are holidaymakers not locals I'll have a chat with a few of the regulars tomorrow |
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good luck, be careful not to get banned too.
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boycott dont work if it affects themselves.
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As has been said, just a matter of getting somone to put his bets on, poor old boy probably got dementia and the shop think they are doing the right thing, tricky one imo depends how far his illness has took hold.
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he's also wearing womens clothes.
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... What Reg does is his own affair Willie.
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Hope they are going round to his house to check if he his warm enough and has plenty of food.
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If he changed his will and left his house to Fred Done that might help,also take a picture of him wearing a Man Utd scarf as Fred would help a fellow red.
 Put it on facebook and x ect, good luck. |
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A boycott sounds a good plan, but as Rico says people won’t do it because it will affect them.
They’re probably being socially irresponsible by taking away one of his reasons for getting out the house. |
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Thanks for your input, lads
Already got a neighbour who is going to put his bets on for him, but it's more of a social thing for him, popping in every day for a chat with the regulars When I go in this morning I shall try and have a chat with the manager about the situation, but I know they'll say they can't discuss other people's business and the decision is irreversible I'd like them to tell me what qualifications they have to be able to judge if a person is not knowing what they are doing, rather than just a bit slow... Which is all he is As I said earlier, there are people who play the machines for hours, constantly running out to the cashpoint, displaying more mentally worrying signs and mood swings... But they are losing hundreds each day so the shop wouldn't want to lose them Easier and more profitable to show they are being "responsible" by banning a 3 pound a day old boy |
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I fear they might not talk to you, but if they do, it might be an idea to keep the discussion general and don't refer to anyone personally, at least initially. But print out this thread and and take it with you to present it as an "example" of your concerns. As I said though, I would be surprised if you got that far. Respect for trying though.
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the local rag is the answer, if his story is as you';ve told it they'd call up freds before publication and he'd be back in before it hit the press, admin error
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Unless they are of a certain persuasion themselves. I'd have a look at the sort of stories they run. An old man with a gambling habit might not be a social campaign they want to be associated with. Don't assume the wider world is spilling over with sympathy.
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he doesn't have a gambling habit according to the story and my first comment was "if the story is as you've told"
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Allegedly...
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You're missing the point - obviously he doesn't have a gambling habit, and the story as told should engender sympathy. And I agree that it WOULD be the best route if it was given a fair hearing. But that depends on their world view and you shouldn't expect the wider public to see things through the same lens as you and I would.
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This does seem a bit of a half story, without all the facts, with the rest filled in bur good luck helping the guy.
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Very sad story Reg. If you happened to watch Luck on Sunday one of the guests made a very strong case that bookmakers are now casino operators who use horse racing as a front and as racing only makes a small fraction of their turnover and profits, they have no interest in encouraging old fashioned punters who don't invest much money. They prefer those who lose a lot on machines. I am very happy to be at home and watch racing channels while betting on the exchange. I reached the age when driving to and from and standing for 3 hours at a racecourse became much less pleasure than it used to be when I went racing 2 or 3 days a week.
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A farcical situation, if he smokes 20 ciggies a day does that mean the newsagent should ban him from going into shop to spend £10 a day, or the pub ban him for having a couple of pints a day for £6 both for health reasons. A bit too much like Big Brother if you ask me.
Don't know what the answer is unless he could possibly get his MP involved, really it's taking away possibly one of the only pleasures he has left. In the meantime perhaps he should carry on going in everyday and wait for the police to come to escort him from the premises, then keep going back in. The Police will get fed up of going every day and will either have to charge him with trespass or as he's doing no harm have a quiet word with the manager. |
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Would you want to go into a shop or a pub where you know you are not welcome? The damage is done and I suspect that he will find some other way to spend his time.
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Regbutler25 Feb 25 20:58Joined: 09 Mar 21 | Topic/replies: 3,229 | Blogger: Regbutler's blog
Ironically, Rico... The letter said that if he attempted to come into the shop again or any other baldy shop, the Police would be called!!! Couldn't make it up I think you'll find - they have made it up. 1) They will not call the police - they don't even call the police if somebody takes a hammer to one of the FOBT's (for obvious reasons). 2) Even if the they do call the police - what would they say that would make the police actually attend? - there is a man in our shop! 3) If the police did attend - what would they do? If you do intend to take up his cause - your best bet would be media coverage - along the lines that a customer betting in 20 pence units is being driven towards the Black Market because a bookmaker licensed and regulated in the UK is refusing to take bets with a 20 pence unit stake. |
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Typical of the place our society has arrived at.
Old man, bit doddery banned from bookie's for no known reason. So, maybe he should be banned from the pub, from the cafes and shops . While they're at it ban him from leaving home in case he steps out in front of a bus! |
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Been in the shop this morning, manager not in today however another staff member told me they were surprised when they heard he was getting banned
It seems his handwriting was getting a bit bad, and sometimes took a while to decipher the horses name, but that was about it I suggested they could come out from behind the counter and write his bet out for him like they do for another elderly customer who comes in every day... The difference is the second customer spends a couple of hundred a day and tips all the staff generously The letter was just a standard one, not personalised... Might even be the same one used for people who fail the affordability checks. Several paragraphs long, banning from entering any baldy shops. |
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The decision is selfish, senseless and wicked; a journey to the bookie could be the old boy's only interaction with a human being for the day. If I was the old boy I'll email the head honcho of baldy. Is the baldy owner not a geriatric too? If so, I'm sure he'd empathise with the said customer. Let's hope a reconsideration, and a sensible solution found.
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10 years ago I would have said this story seems a bit far fetched. But seeing as they imprison people for holding signs and shouting at Police Dogs, I can now fully believe this kind of thing happens. Absolutely nothing surprises me anymore!
My Brother would have wrote it out for him though, eh Reg? |
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If you do intend to take up his cause - your best bet would be media coverage - along the lines that a customer betting in 20 pence units is being driven towards the Black Market because a bookmaker licensed and regulated in the UK is refusing to take bets with a 20 pence unit stake.
whilst pointing out this Meanwhile, they allow another old boy to sit there for hours feeding the machines, doing his absolute cahonas everyday, and has to look up his pin number on a piece of paper every time he tops up I think that would sting them pointing this out as it will lean into the underlying notion that the books are still happy to fleece the vulnerable whilst purporting to be doing otherwise. |