Curfew Cuts Customer Play of Pub Machines by 40%

Figures released by CLMS – which collects data from over 12,000 pub machines – reveal that curfew is cutting deeper into revenues than was first anticipated.

 

During the first week following curfew, CLMS was shocked to report that machine play dropped dramatically by 32% on the preceding week. However, after following the pattern for nearly 2 weeks and comparing it with the same time last month – the reduction in customer play is even more stark; falling by nearly 40%.

“By the end of August, we started to see a true picture of recovery emerging,” says Simon Barff, Managing Director of CLMS. “Operators had reclaimed the floats that they had lent to machines once pubs reopened, so we had an accurate idea of revenues. We recorded that around 70% of machines in England were in play and that players were resuming their enjoyment of the machines. The situation was looking hopeful as the industry was getting back on its feet. However, these green shoots of recovery have clearly been trampled on by the introduction of the 10pm curfew.”

“The situation for our Division 2 members is absolutely dire,” adds John White, CEO of bacta. “As suppliers of machines to pubs and clubs, they were directly affected by the closures of venues in lockdown and yet received no support from the Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grand Fund.”

“A recent survey carried out by our members showed that 32% of these companies have had to make redundancies already – or are considering losing part of their workforce. Curfew will undoubtedly add to the pressure of these companies and increase the number of jobs lost,” he adds.

Bacta is calling on the Government to support the machine supply industry. “We need the CJRS extended, rates relief for 2021/22, and 5% VAT and MGD for 12 months. It’s the only way many businesses will make it through the winter. Machine revenue is vital for pubs as well as for suppliers. Let’s stop penalising those businesses who have followed the Guidance and who are not contributing to the rise in cases, before we lose them forever,” concludes White.

ENDS

About BETREE & CLMS: BeTree is a specialist supplier of live data audit from gaming and amusement machines. It’s OLGA product has been installed in more than 12,000 machines in the UK CLMS provides an exceptionably flexible machine management and reporting system to many of the UK leading Pub Companies.

CLMS was set up in 1987 and is now the largest provider of data-processing and machine income management services in the United Kingdom.

ENDS

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