BAPTO's members helpline is moving ahead - Euroslot - the independent voice of the amusement and gambling industry

BAPTO's members helpline is moving ahead

Published: 28 September, 2009

The new members' helpline started by BAPTO to give its members assistance with business problems is moving slowly forward. Liam Barrett said: "It started at the suggestion of one member, an experienced operator, who found himself being approached more and more by fellow members for advice on some of the present day problems which they had never before encountered. So it was decided to form the helpline to enable the association to provide help and advice on a number of topics as and when it was approached. It was hoped, he said, that this would improve communications between members and information could be disseminated for the benefit of all.

Asked whether the association would be appointing its own professional advisers Barrett replied: "So far nobody has suggested this. Most members presumably have solicitors and accountants from whom they get professional advice and services for their own business. Certainly there would be expense involved if we were to appoint such people on a retained basis but if we had enough members we could look at the matter closely. At the moment the helpline is at an early stage".

Barrett could see little improvement in the situation regarding the pub trade and pool. Pub closures were still numerous and it was a worrying situation for everybody but fortunately some operators were supporting the game at site level and some of the pubs were cooperating as were some of the players with in-house competitions. These were helping to reinforce loyalty - which was vital - and if anything, pool was more popular than ever in the pubs which adopted this mutual help approach.

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