Leisure Report articles from December 2008

Leisure Report archives from December 2008

Room to grow for EU fitness.(Inside track)
December 1, 2008... The European health club industry is poised for continued growth, according to the 2008 European Market Report from the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association (IHRSA). The study showed that while 38 million Europeans are...

European gaming deadlock: an end in sight?(European Union)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... The first signs that there could be grounds for a common approach to regulating the European Union's gambling sector have been revealed in a draft EU document which showed in a surprise shift in member states' thinking after years of deadlock....

So long, and thanks for all the fish.(Inside track)(Editorial)
December 1, 2008... As you may know by now, this will be my last issue as editor of Leisure Report, and it's with some sadness that I say goodbye to the sector. I've genuinely enjoyed working in 'UK Leisure Plc', which I think is, by and large, well run, and gets...

888 grows despite poker slowdown.(Breaking news)
December 1, 2008... With both 888 and PartyGaming reporting a slowdown in poker revenues over recent months, it seems clear that there has been a steadying of the previously booming market since the turn of the year, as new products and competition take their...

Ladbrokes improves gross win margins.(Breaking news)
December 1, 2008... Ladbrokes, the UK bookmaker, said group profit, excluding Telephone High Rollers, for the four months ended 31 October 2008 increased by 10%, although the figure was just 3% after adjusting for advertising costs of 3.7m [pounds sterling] in the...

Irish trade tougher for Paddy Power.(Breaking news)
December 1, 2008... Leading Irish bookmaker Paddy Power said the "deteriorating economic conditions in Ireland and the UK" were having an effect on its trading, although noted it still expected to post "underlying operating profit for 2008 of approximately 75m...

Shareholders should now look closely at executive remuneration.(Breaking news)
December 1, 2008... Shareholders should benchmark executive pay packages against those of other companies, said Janet Salmon, author of The Annual Remuneration Survey of the Leisure Industry. Bob Diamond, Barclay's chief executive earned 18m [pounds sterling]...

BISL urges restraint on NMW.(Breaking news)(Business in Leisure and Sport)(national minimum wage )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... The head of Business in Leisure & Sport (BISL) has urged the Low Pay Commission to scale back its national minimum wage increases for 2009. Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of BISL, called for any rises in the NMW to be significantly lower...

UK services sector hits record low.(Breaking news)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Britain's service companies saw record lows in September, according to the CIPS/Markit report. The headline index of business activity in the services sector fell to 42.4 --the lowest level since the series began 12 years ago. Any figure...

Public finances decline further.(Breaking news)
December 1, 2008... Britain's public finances deteriorated further in October as the economic slow-down continued to impact the flow of tax revenues to the Treasury. Public Sector Net Borrowing Requirement (PSNBR) was 1.4bn [pounds sterling], the first...

SHOKK opens first franchise.(Breaking news)
December 1, 2008... SHOKK, the youth activity specialist, has opened its first UK franchise in Dundee. The youth health club offers the full SHOKK package, providing members with the most up-to-date equipment, training and services on the market. The health...

Corporate clubs disemb-ARK.(Breaking news)(Ark Leisure Management has sold its corporate health clubs to Bladerunner)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Ark Leisure Management has sold its corporate health clubs to Bladerunner. The deal includes 14 management contracts and 20 owned sites in the UK. Financial details were not given. Bladerunner specialises in providing corporate health and...

Leisure sector takes a hit as firms cut back on staff entertainment.(Industry News)
December 1, 2008... The catering, hospitality and leisure sector is feeling the impact of the cut in spending on staff entertainment, as companies scale back in the face of the economic downturn. In the UK, 27% of companies have reduced their spend on staff...

10,000 visitors to people 1st website.(Industry News)
December 1, 2008... More than 10,000 young people have registered for People 1st's www.UKSP. co.uk website, it has been revealed. The website brings together information on careers, job opportunities, qualifications, good employers, colleges and funding for...

Recession will push jobless up to 3 million.(Industry News)
December 1, 2008... The UK's recession will be tougher and longer than had been first thought, the CBI has warned. It estimates that the economy will shrink by 1.7% in 2009, a dramatic reduction from its September forecast of 0.3% growth. The employers'...

FSB seeks 1bn [pounds sterling] survival fund.(Industry News)(Federation of Small Businesses )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) has called on the government to provide a 1 [pounds sterling] bn survival fund in his pre-budget report. In an open letter to the Chancellor of the Exchequer published in a number of national...

Consumer inflation falls.(Industry News)
December 1, 2008... UK inflation fell in October from a 16 year high--as a result of lower oil, transport and food costs. The Consumer Prices Index (CPI) measure dropped to 4.5% from 5.2% in September, according to the Office of National Statistics. "The...

Eurozone in recession.(Industry News)
December 1, 2008... The eurozone has officially slipped into recession after EU figures showed that the economy shrank by 0.2% in the third quarter of this year. This follows a 0.2% contraction in the 15-nation area in the previous quarter from April to June....

Fit to govern: Barack Obama will be the first self-confessed gym addict to occupy the White House. David Minton asks if he can help shape a nation, and get it in shape.(Insight)(Viewpoint essay)
December 1, 2008... I know President-elect Barack Obama has already filled acres of newsprint but could I ask you to indulge me for one more page? Chicago is not only home to Obama and his family but also to one of the best fitness clubs I've ever been to. I don't...

Online moonshine: post UIGEA, operators withdrew from the US online poker market in droves, but some firms continue to allow US citizens to play poker. Robert Haukoos asks: is this the ultimate gamble?(Insight: US online poker)
December 1, 2008... "What America needs now is a drink." These words, spoken by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, ended prohibition in 1933. Prohibition was called "the noble experiment" a constitutional amendment that outlawed the consumption of alcohol. ...

VAT aerobics: now is the time to get your business in shape for the winter ahead, writes BDO Stoy Hayward's Jim Pinder, who suggests a number of exercise that could help firm up your bottom line.(Insight: Value-Added Tax)
December 1, 2008... Charles Darwin is often credited with coining the phrase "the survival of the fittest", but it was actually first used by Herbert Spencer in his Principles of Biology of 1864. Nevertheless it is certain that neither man was thinking about VAT....

A bull with a sore head: Duncan Rowe talks to Craig Baylis from Berwin Leighton Paisner about dealmaking in the credit crunch, the Licensing and Gambling Acts, and regulation of the poker market.(Insight: Interview: * berwin leighton paisner)(Interview)
December 1, 2008... Craig Baylis, head of leisure at city law firm Berwin Leighton Paisner, is surprisingly bullish about the state of the UK market at the moment, the more so as he is clearly suffering from a heavy head cold when we meet. "Yes, we have seen...

Variations on a theme park: Gabrielle Gambina, senior associate, and Elizabeth Hillier, junior consultant in the Hotels & Leisure team at King Sturge look at the state of play in the international theme park market.(Insight: The theme park market)(Industry overview)
December 1, 2008... Modern theme parks as we know them today were spawned when Disneyland opened in 1955. Disney pioneered the concept of the self-contained theme park featuring clearly segregated areas designed to fit a particular theme. By combining an...

Surviving the credit crunch: Richard Hathaway, head of travel, leisure and tourism, KPMG, says that despite the cyclical nature of many leisure firms, 'slash and burn' measures are not called for in the downturn.(Insight: KPMG)
December 1, 2008... As highly cyclical businesses, those in the leisure sector ate used to having to plan their financing to support them through economic downturns, hut these cyclical fluctuations, combined with the current crisis in the financial markets, and...

Poker shows signs of folding but diversification keeps Party going.(News: Betting & gaming)
December 1, 2008... PartyGaming, the online gaming giant, reported a decline in poker revenues in its third quarter, but said it expected to meet full year ebitda targets thanks to strong growth in its casino, sports betting and bingo offerings. In an interim...

NMLS raises funds via placing to drive marketing.(News: Betting & gaming)(New Media Lottery Services )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... New Media Lottery Services (NMLS), the listed gaming content and systems provider, has raised 1.15m [euro] (1m [pounds sterling]) before expenses through a secured convertible loan from Trafalgar Capital Specialized Investment Fund (Trafalgar)....

NETeller now Neovia.(Neovia Financial)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... NETeller, the listed global provider of online payments, has confirmed the change of its name to Neovia Financial. Trading in the company's shares on the AIM market under the new name NEOVIA Financial has commenced, and the company's trading...

Webis in sponsor deal.
December 1, 2008... Webis Holdings, the online gaming group, has agreed further sponsorship with Sandown Park racecourse for horse races taking place in December 2008. All races will be branded under the company's sportsbook portal, betinternet.com. Betinternet...

Amazing grace?(gambling law)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Taiwan's parliament is set to legalise gambling on a group of offshore islands by the year end, legislative sources told Reuters, as local officials eye permits for three resort casinos to shore up their economy. The passage of a bill...

Highfield joins Hills.
December 1, 2008... William Hill said Ashley Highfield will be joining its board as a non-executive from 17 November. Highfield is currently head of Project Kangaroo the proposed joint venture between the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 which will offer a commercial...

Operators beat monopolies on reponsibility.(News: Betting & gaming)
December 1, 2008... A study carried out by eCOGRA, the leading standards and player protection body in the online gaming industry, has revealed that 67% of the consumer-facing responsible gaming standards implemented by the Association of European Gaming and...

Turftrax close to administration.(News: Betting & gaming)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Turftrax, the horseracing technology group, said it "remains discussions with a party to consider the sale of the remaining trade and assets of the company". In addition, it is in talks to provide it with further capital. This would...

Rank receives 59.1m [pounds sterling] VAT repayment.(News: Betting & gaming)
December 1, 2008... The Rank Group has received 59.1m [pounds sterling] in overpaid VAT from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC). The repayment covers the five-and-a-half year period from January 2003 to June 2008. Rank said it anticipated that the net...

Inspired encouraged by progress in wake of pub division sale.(News: Betting & gaming)
December 1, 2008... Inspired Gaming Group said it was encouraged by its recent progress, following the sale of its loss-making UK pubs division to Danoptra. The group said it has enjoyed "solid" progress in the UK, and noted that it had seen "strong sales...

Harpers to roll out 'Experience'.(News: Health, fitness & sport)
December 1, 2008... Following a successful pilot across 12 of its centres, Leisure Connection's Harpers Fitness brand is expanding the 'Harpers Experience' across all of its centres. The Harpers Experience is a new concept in public access health club provision...

TLDC signs contract to supply Sport England with active data.(News: Health, fitness & sport)
December 1, 2008... Sport England has awarded a three-year contract to The Leisure Database Company (TLDC) as part of its strategy to increase the number of people taking part in sport. David Minton, director of The Leisure Database Company, said: "We are...

BISL lauds private sector for sports participation role.(News: Health, fitness & sport)(Business in Sport and Leisure)(Conference news)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Business in Sport and Leisure (BISL)'s Annual Conference, sponsored by SKY and held at Lord's Cricket Ground in November, helped showcase the role of the private sector in growing participation in sport and physical activity and securing...

Esporta deal off.(News: Health, fitness & sport)
December 1, 2008... Administrators have pulled the plug on the proposed sale of fitness and racquets club operator Esporta, after failing to reach an agreement with possible buyers over price. David Lloyd Leisure had reportedly wanted to buy the group's 20...

Gladstone rejects hostile takeover bid from shareholder.(News: Health, fitness & sport)
December 1, 2008... Gladstone, a leading provider of software solutions and services to the Health & Leisure and Education markets, has urged shareholders to reject an "unsolicited and hostile offer from Constellation Software". Constellation has posted an...

Lo-Q proves just the ticket.(News: Tourism & attractions)(virtual queuing technology firm)
December 1, 2008... Lo-Q, the the virtual queuing technology firm, has seen its shares soar after announcing that trading since its last stock market update has been ahead of management expectations, with the financial performance being further assisted by the...

VisitBritain calls for spring investment.(News: Tourism & attractions)
December 1, 2008... VisitBritain is calling for funding to launch a spring promotion campaign, after figures showed a 3% year-on-year drop in visitor numbers this summer. Visits dropped to 9.3 million during the peak months of July to September and spending...

Recession to cost 11bn [pounds sterling] in tourism.(News: Tourism & attractions)
December 1, 2008... A recession could cost 11bn [pounds sterling] in lost revenue through tourism, according to a study for VisitBritain, conducted by Deloitte. Rashid Bashir, the author of the report and a senior economist at Deloitte, said: "The Visitor...

Passenger numbers fall at UK airports.(News: Tourism & attractions)
December 1, 2008... BAA has reported across-the-board traffic declines at all of its seven UK airports. Overall, passenger numbers decreased by 6% year-on-year in October, led by a 10.3% fall at Gatwick. In total, the airports handled 12.43m passengers during...

Attraction World adds products.(News: Tourism & attractions)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Attraction World has launched a range of commissionable experience-based products in time for Christmas. Initially, the theme park and attraction ticket specialist will offer 35 experiences in the UK, but will launch global experiences in...

Britons plan to cut back on going out for this year's Christmas break.(News: Cinema & entertainments)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Restaurants and pubs are set to be hard hit this Christmas, as consumers plan to spend 12% less on socialising this year than in 2007. The latest research by Deloitte found that Britons were looking to cut back on going out this festive...

'Unusual' Kino Cinema is sold.(News: Cinema & entertainments)(Edward Symmons Hospitality and Leisure )
December 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Edward Symmons Hospitality & Leisure has sold the 91-seat Kino Cinema in the village of Hawkhurst in Kent, an independently-owned venue. It comprises a single screen, cafe with 25 covers and totals approximately...

3D plans to sell third of estate.(News: Cinema & entertainments)(3D Entertainment)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... 3D Entertainment, the Chicago Rock Cafe operator, is looking to dispose of nearly a third of its estate. The late night operator is understood to be planning to offload 28 of its venues, nine of which are in Scotland. The company said...

Rock n' Bowl venue for Bloomsbury.(News: Cinema & entertainments)(Bloomsbury Bowling)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Following the success of the Bloomsbury Bowling venue, the group's management has decided "not to follow a cookie cutter roll out which is typical in the leisure industry", and instead has chosen to keep bowling as a focus but to expand into...

SIA chief to leave post as 17.4m [pounds sterling] deficit is discovered.(News: Cinema & entertainments)(Security Industry Authority's Michael Wilson)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... The chief executive of the Security Industry Authority (SIA), the doortsaff regulatory body, is leaving the organisation just weeks after the government plugged a 17.4m [pounds sterling] financial hole in the organisation's accounts. Last...

PD to open new club.(P.D. Entertainment )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... P.D. Entertainment (PDE) will open a 5,000sq ft nightclub, bar and restaurant at the Rockingham Park Leisure scheme in Corby, Northamptonshire. PDE has taken agreed a 10 year lease at a rent of 45,000 [pounds sterling] per year with an...

Drug testing machine trialled in Scotland.
December 1, 2008... A pioneering new drug detection machine is being tested at pubs and clubs in Aberdeen. More than 750 would-be customers at nine venues in Aberdeen had their hands swabbed with a device called the Itemiser at the weekend--the first time it...

Scotland's G1 lifts profits.(G1 Group PLC)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... G1 Group, the Scottish hospitality and leisure conglomerate led by entrepreneur Stefan King, has lifted pre tax profits 6.5% to 4.9m [pounds sterling] for its year to March 2008. It is the seventh year in a row that the privately-owned...

10m [pounds sterling] visitor centre development plan for Sherwood Forest unveiled.(News: Property & development)
December 1, 2008... Proposals for a new 10.5m [pounds sterling] visitor centre at Sherwood Forest have been put forward by Nottinghamshire County Council (NCC). It is expected that the new facility will be ready to open in 2010, although plans are still...

New gyms for Forest of Dean.(News: Property & development)(Newent Leisure Centre )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... A 650,000 [pounds sterling] redevelopment at Newent Leisure Centre has opened to the local community and students at Newent Community School. The dual use site on the school campus is managed by Forest of Dean District Council. The project...

Rotherham PFI continues progress.(News: Property & development)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... The new Rotherham Leisure Complex, an 11m [pounds sterling] facility, which was built to timetable, has opened to the public. It comprises a 25m swimming pool, learner fun pool, leisure waters and flume tower, 90-station fitness suite, studio,...

Dalesauna improves accessibility.(News: Property & development)(contract with Chepstow and Caldicott Leisure Centres )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Dalesauna has installed two brand new saunas at Chepstow and Caldicott Leisure Centres in Monmouthshire, Wales to provide a refurbishment that incorporates disabled access. The centres made provisions for two purpose-built accessible suites...

Planning blow for Donington.(News: Property & development)(Donington Park)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Donington Park's plans to host the 2010 British Grand Prix received a blow as North West Leicestershire District Council confirmed that it would delay final judgement on whether to grant permission for the extensive redevelopment needed at the...

Abbycroft invests in sites.(News: Property & development)(Bury St. Edmunds Leisure Centre )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Bury St. Edmunds Leisure Centre is awaiting completion on a brand new group exercise studio in time for the New Year. The purpose built, air conditioned multi-purpose studio will increase class capacity and allow for additional classes to be...

UK branded coffee market still offers potential for 6 % growth.(News: Food & drink)(Industry overview)
December 1, 2008... The UK continues to have the most developed branded coffee shop industry with 40%, of the total EU market and forecast annual growth of 6%. The latest report by Allegra Strategies on the European market found that the UK had a total of...

Coffeeheaven sees sales rise as its markets avoid the crunch.(News: Food & drink)(Coffeeheaven International)(Financial report)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Coffeeheaven International has reported a 16% increased in group like-for-like sales for the first half of the group's financial year. The company, which operates in Poland, Latvia, the Czech Republic, Bulgaria and Hungary said that it had...

Coffee Republic aims for 800,000 [pounds sterling].(News: Food & drink)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Coffee Republic has said it plans to raise 800,000 [pounds sterling] from a share placing to rid itself of debt and provide it with working capital. The coffee shop operator, which now has 200 units, has seen rapid site growth since it...

Subway set to benefit from the downturn.(News: Food & drink)(Subway Sandwich Shops Inc.)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Subway, the global sandwich chain, sees the economic downturn as an opportunity to acquire previously occupied retail space in the UK to help it expand. The group said that its growth had been limited in this country by the lack of...

Mandelson launches tips consultation.(News: Food & drink)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... As revenue drops for restaurants in the wake of the recession, Lord Mandelson, secretary of state for business, has launched a consultative document on the treatment of tips by businesses in the hospitality sector. The consultation...

Alcohol tax rises.(News: Food & drink)
December 1, 2008... Business leaders from the pub industry have described the decision by the government to raise alcohol duty by 8% as a "another kick in the teeth". The move by Alistair Darling in his pre-budget report, has been widely criticised. The...

LR Index leisure stockwatch November 2008.(Sharewatch)
December 1, 2008... A quick glance at the table below will confirm what you already know, it's been another month of heavy falls for leisure sector stocks. Still, rather than go on about that, let's have a look at some breaking news instead. As Leisure Report...

Leisure Connection.(People on the move)(Leisure Connection has appointed Andrew Marshall, Paul Critcher )(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Leisure Connection is rounding off a successful year with 13 new appointments. The public access operator has recruited across the board from contract managers to a new managing director of operations. Graham Farrant, chief executive, said:...

Alton Towers Resort.(People on the move)
December 1, 2008... Mike Meredith has been appointed head of consumer marketing for the Alton Towers Resort, the UK's leading short break destination for families. Reporting to Morwenna Angove, sales and marketing director, Meredith will be responsible for resort...

Matrix Fitness.(People on the move)(endorsement with Tim Brabants)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Matrix Fitness has signed Olympic Kayaking Champion, Dr Tim Brabants, as a Matrix Ambassador. Matrix will be utilising Brabant's sporting excellence and medical expertise as it shapes its offering to operators keen to maximise the build up and...

The National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure.(People on the move)
December 1, 2008... The National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure has announced the appointment of its new marketing manager. Natalie Jones will be responsible for leading the strategic development of the NSA brand and promoting its key products and...

DCMS.(People on the move)(Department for Children, Schools and Families has appointed Jane Cooper)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Jane Cooper, currently at the Department for Children, Schools and Families, has been appointed Director of Communications at the DCMS. She will take up her post early in the new year. Cooper, who has previously held senior communications...

East Midlands Development Agency.(People on the move)(appointment of Chas Bishop)(Brief article)
December 1, 2008... Chas Bishop, chief executive of the National Space Centre in Leicester has been appointed as the new chair of East Midlands Tourism, the tourism arm of the East Midlands Development Agency. Bishop has spent much of his high profile career...

Diary dates: Dec/Jan.(Appointments)(Calendar)
December 1, 2008... December Event: Athletic Business Conference & Expo 2008 Date: 3-6 Location: San Antonio, Texas, US Description: The Conference & Expo for Athletics, Fitness and Recreation Professionals to get the latest information on...