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The AGM of the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions (BALPPA), held in early March, saw the election of a new Chairman for the association, with Tim Batstone taking over the position from David Cam. Batstone is Executive Chairman of H.B. Leisure, based in North Wales, where the company runs an attraction, in addition to supplying and running various games operations in leading theme and amusement parks throughout the UK, mainland Europe, the Middle East and South Africa.
He takes over the position for a period of two years. In accepting the role, he thanked members for the confidence they had shown in him in electing him to the post while also conveying his thanks to David Cam for “all his hard work and wise counsel” during the previous two years. “He will be sorely missed both as Chairman and on the management committee,” he added. John Bollom, from the Amusement Equipment Co. in South Wales, was elected as the association’s new vice-chairman. In addition to these elections, the AGM covered a number of other agenda items, including a report on the previous year’s activities from outgoing Chairman David Cam. He noted that despite recent visitor figures published by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA), which were typically upbeat, 2006 had been a difficult year for many BALPPA members, Cam citing the closures of Pleasureland in Southport and the American Adventure in Ilkeston as two of the most extreme examples of the difficult trading conditions that currently exist. However, he continued, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going” and BALPPA was strengthening its efforts for further recognition of its sector of the tourism industry in political circles and elsewhere. “The last year has seen BALPPA rise in stature as a credible trade association both politically and amongst our peer group,” he said, revealing details of some of the work he and BALPPA Chief Executive Colin Dawson had carried out with members of the Government and in Whitehall, with a view to establishing an agenda, within Government, which is sympathetic to the needs of BALPPA members. Cam also highlighted BALPPA’s success in securing a suitable Compensation Act, as well as informing members of other issues the association continues to work on, including a reduction in the levels of VAT for operators, an increase in trading hours by virtue of an Energy Saving (Daylight) Act and containment of the costs of licensing amusement arcades.
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