Bacta will be building on its membership engagement commitment – a key component of the trade association’s restructure programme – when National President John Bollom, Vice-President Joseph Cullis and Executive Director George McGregor attend a specially convened meeting of Bacta’s Scotland-based members which is being held on May 2nd in Glasgow.
The meeting, which is open to all Bacta members with businesses operating in Scotland, is the latest initiative designed to make the association more accessible and follows the successful ‘Meet Your National Council’ event which was held in Leeds and attracted over 30 Bacta members to the lunch and Open Forum.
Kevin Temple, Novomatic Gaming UK’s Director of Sales, who has helped organise the meeting believes that Bacta has made great advances engaging with its members since the restructure programme was completed last year. He stated: “Absolutely everyone has to feel that their voice is being heard and the new Bacta has already made significant inroads talking with members and listening to the issues which are impacting their businesses.
“Scotland has its own challenges not least a reduced footfall compared with the rest of Britain, a slower adoption of digital gaming particularly in single site and of course the absence of any rates relief assistance from Government.
“The opportunity to explain and expand on the issues which are specific to the operation of amusements and low-stake gaming businesses north of the border is an important part of the process by which we can create a truly engaged and active membership.”
Looking ahead to what he believes will be a productive meeting Kevin Temple added: “Due to the fact that many of our Scottish members are independent intergenerational businesses and have known each other across decades I think we can look forward to a healthy attendance and a lively debate.
“There are many issues on the radar including the likely outcome and timetable of the white paper proposals, technical standards, stake and prize levels, cashless, illegal machines, the statutory levy, the role and remit of a Gambling Ombudsman, the implications of the Commission’s new Gambling Survey of Great Britain and the current challenges facing jukebox and music operators in the single site sector.
“Members will also be interested to learn more about how Bacta is preparing for the general election and the likelihood of working with a new government and potentially a new batch of Scottish MPs.
“I am certain that Bacta will benefit from receiving a ‘hands-on’ Scottish perspective on the industry and equally confident that the meeting will reinforce the very positive relationship the trade association enjoys with businesses in Scotland.”