Meeting the needs of Millennials tops the agenda

Bacta, the trade association whose members include the manufacturers and operators of gaming machines, pool tables and jukeboxes, has agreed a programme of quarterly meetings with the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers and The British Beer And Pub Association.

 

Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers and The British Beer And Pub Association. The tripartite meetings will provide an opportunity for machine operators and representatives from the on-trade to discuss issues facing gaming and amusements equipment in the pub sector, including how to appeal to Millennials, legislation impacting the sector and the opportunities that exist to add value to the machine sector through the use of new technologies that are being deployed by games manufacturers.

Bacta Chief Executive John White, said: “Following a successful pilot meeting with the ALMR and the BBPA, I am delighted that we have agreed a regular programme. The latest industry data calculated by PricewaterhouseCoopers, showed there are circa 107,000 gaming and amusements machines sited in UK pubs and the businesses and jobs of many bacta members are linked directly to the health of the pub sector. I believe it is important the principal trade bodies maintain an open and regular dialogue, share insights and in the process help ensure a sustainable and healthy relationship which continues to make a significant contribution to the business of thousands of pubs in the UK.”

ALMR Chief Executive Kate Nicholls added: “Gaming machines provide a crucial revenue stream for many pubs, but their contribution has shrunk somewhat over recent years. If gaming and amusement machines are to remain attractive for customers and continue to make a positive contribution to pubs, we need a concise and unified voice from the sector. The ALMR is very happy to be working with bacta and the BBPA to ensure that the legislative impact of gaming machines is minimal and that licensees have the flexibility to make the most of their machines.”

Brigid Simmonds, Chief Executive of the British Beer And Pub Association, concluded: “Machines remain a valuable income stream for many pubs. This will be a useful forum for working in partnership with bacta and ALMR to consider issues affecting machines in pubs, and we look forward to working with them.”

 

Notes to editors:

About ALMR:

  • The ALMR (Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers) is the only national trade body dedicated to representing the interests of licensed hospitality operators.
  • The ALMR’s membership – pub, club, bar and casual dining operators – run 26,000 outlets and employ over 650,000 employees, together they account for almost all managed pubs in the UK as well as leading casual dining chains and nightclubs.
  • Two-thirds of our members are small independent companies operating 50 outlets of fewer under their own branding, but our membership also includes some of the largest high street operators including: JD Wetherspoon, Casual Dining Group and Carluccio’s, with well-known branded outlets such as: All Bar One, Slug & Lettuce, TGI Fridays, Wahaca, Wagamama and Harvester.

For more information please contact the office on 0208 579 2080 or visitwww.almr.org.uk.

About bacta:
Bacta represents the amusement and gaming machine industry in the UK, encompassing high-tech and creative manufacturers, machine suppliers for pubs, clubs and bingo halls, as well as operators of Family Entertainment Centres and over 18s Gaming Centres.

Bacta members include the whole of the amusement machine supply chain in the UK, which has a collective turn-over of nearly £2.0bn across more than 500 companies, operating in excess of 310,000 machines.

About the BBPA:
The British Beer & Pub Association is the leading body representing Britain’s brewers and pub companies. The Association is more than a century old and was originally founded as the Brewers’ Society in 1904. Our members account for some 90 per cent of beer brewed in Britain today, and own around 20,000 of the nation’s pubs.

Image:
Bacta Chief Executive John White

 

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