A fresh chapter in the history of UK trade association bacta has opened with a total of 45 members elected to take-up positions in the new streamlined structure. Respected industry personality John Bollom has been voted National President with Joseph Cullis owner of Scottish operating company Windmill Leisure elected as bacta Vice-President – both for two-year terms. 
Nick Harding, Greg Wood and James Miller are the three Past Presidents to have been voted onto the new 11-person bacta National Council. 
A further 40 bacta members have been elected by their peers onto the newly configured Gaming Council (20 members) and Amusement Council (20 members).
New bacta President John Bollom whose proposal to introduce a dynamic streamlined structure for the association was unanimously accepted at an EGM held in May stated: “I’m delighted to become the first National President of what is a new bacta. This is a really important phase in the life of an organisation which has served the industry well and which turns 50 next year.
“The purpose of the reorganisation was to create a structure which is more aligned to the dynamic nature of the leisure entertainment business that we are all involved in as well as a structure which would appeal to a broader constituency of bacta members.
“Ours is an industry packed with talent and energy and this structure enables bacta to draw on those talents and attributes, remove the bureaucracy which slows the decision making process down and instead get on representing the business interests of our members with gusto, focus and creativity.
“We have been really pleased with the level of engagement evident in the volume of nominations received for the new positions and the numbers who have voted. Both the Amusement and the Gaming Council include members who have not previously had any official involvement in bacta and I look forward to their insights and perspectives on the future of the business.”
Bacta Vice-President Jospeh Cullis added: “Huge credit should go to John for taking-on the restructure programme. The arguments presented to members were based on thorough research, careful analysis, and experience coupled with a vision for the future. This isn’t a cosmetic exercise but a measured and strategic initiative which gives the industry the very best chance to succeed in what is a competitive and challenging environment.”
-ENDS –
The full list of members elected to the newly configured 20-person Councils are as follows:
Amusement Council
Albert Botton (Gaming Invest UK Ltd), Bill Cain (Cain’s Amusements), Billy Edwards (Southsea Island Leisure), Billy Peak (Mitonsede Ltd), Charles Holland (J Holland & Sons Ltd), Dean Harding (Harry Levy Amusements Ltd), Gabino Stergides (Electrocoin Sales Ltd), Harry Levy (Harry Levy Amusements Ltd), Huw Lewis (Inspired Entertainment), James Miller (Summertime Leisure), Jeremy Godden (Rotunda Equipment Leasing Ltd), John Stergides SNR (Electrocoin Sales Ltd), Jonathan Lauder (United Distributing Company), Justin Burke (SEGA Amusements Ltd), Kevin Young (Bandai Namco Amusement Europe Ltd), Lloyd Nichols (Rubicon Pastimes Ltd), Mark Horwood (United Distributing Company), Stuart Wood (H B Leisure Ltd). Wes Smart (Harbour Park Ltd), William Bollom (The Bollom Organisation Ltd)
Gaming Council
Alan Claypole (Blueprint Operations Ltd), Albert Botton (Gaming Invest UK Ltd), Billy Peak (Mitonsede Ltd), Charles Holland (J Holland & Sons Ltd), Chris Haley (Dransfield Novelty Company Ltd), David Cain JNR (Cain’s Amusements), Dean Harding (Crown Leisure Ltd), Elizabeth Speed (Luxury Leisure,Talarius Ltd & RAL Ltd), Harry Shipley JNR (Shipley Estates Ltd), Ian Shreeve (Inspired Entertainment), Jeremy Godden (Rotunda Equipment Leasing Ltd), John Stergides SNR (Electrocoin Sales Limited), Jonathan Lauder (United Distributing Company), Kevin Temple (Novomatic Gaming UK Ltd), Mark McGuiness (Bandai Namco Amusement Europe Ltd), Paul Terroni (Novomatic UK Ltd), Peter Davies (Inspired Entertainment), Quentin Stott (Reflex Gaming), Steve Ambrose (Merkur Casino Holdings UK Ltd), Tony Boulton (Merkur Gaming)