Leisure Report articles from October 2008

Leisure Report archives from October 2008

Leisure M&A volumes fall 25% despite 'buyers' market.(Inside track)
October 1, 2008... M&A activity across the UK leisure sector was subdued in the first half of 2008, with both deal volume and value down compared to the previous six months, a study by PKF Accountants & Business Advisers has shown. The PKF report, Deal...

Simplicity the key to riding out recession.(Inside track)
October 1, 2008... This month I have been to the cinema twice, visited a leading theme park, played five-a-side football, eaten out several times, attended a charity rugby match at Twickenham, been to a football match, a Metallica concert (!) and made several...

GVC reports 23% rise in H1 profits.(Breaking news)(Financial report)
October 1, 2008... Gaming VC Holdings, the European-facing online gaming company, unveiled a 20% rise in revenues for the six months to 30 June 2008, driving a 23% rise in pre-tax profits to 10.6m [euro] (8.38m [pounds sterling]), up from 8.5m [euro] in the first...

VisitBritain restructures.(Breaking news)
October 1, 2008... VisitBritain has announced more changes to staffing as part of its restructuring. The changes respond to the increased devolution of public sector responsibility for tourism to the regions, as well as to the recent cut in government...

40,000 pub and bar industry jobs at risk, warns BBPA.(Breaking news)
October 1, 2008... More than 40,000 jobs in the UK pub and brewing industry are at risk, according to a new report from the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA). The report, which examines economic trends in the beer and pub sector, says that 44,000 jobs...

International 'superlotto'?(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... A worldwide lottery could be launched in Britain within four years, reports The Daily Telegraph. Camelot Group, the licensed operator of the National Lottery, is in talks with more than 40 countries--including Australia and the United...

Split premises decision due.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The Gambling Commission will decide this month whether moves by gambling operators to split their premises to install more gaming machines is in breach of the Gambling Act. Rank is among bingo groups that have established "adult gaming centres"...

Gambling addiction centre opens in Soho.(National Problem Gambling Clinic)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The National Problem Gambling Clinic, Britain's first centre for helping the addicted, has opened in Soho. Funding has only been secured for one year, while Gamcare, the industry-funded self-help group, remains at loggerheads with...

Estonia cracks down on casino market.
October 1, 2008... The Estonian government has been forced into developing a strategy for dealing with the problems unregulated gambling has created in the former Soviet nation. It will bring in a law next year to restrict the number of casinos although it is...

Fortune is first affiliate group to win eCOGRA seal of approval.(Breaking news)
October 1, 2008... Fortune Affiliates has become the first igaming affiliate program to receive the new eCOGRA 'Affiliate Trust Seal'--an industry quality benchmark. eCOGRA is the independent, non-profit standards authority of the online gaming industry, and...

PartyGaming in CSR boost.(Breaking news)
October 1, 2008... PartyGaming has become a constituent member of the FTSE4Good Index, which aims to provide a tool for investors to identify and invest in companies that meet globally recognised corporate responsibility standards. Inclusion of PartyGaming's...

Boylessports goes online in Spain.(Breaking news)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Boylessports, the Ireland-based bookmaker, is preparing to spend an estimated 3m [euro] to extend its online reach to Spain and other countries in Europe, the Irish Times reports. The company has enlisted John Overett, a former Bwin...

Harlow's 25m [pounds sterling] 'Leisurezone' build is on target.(Breaking news)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Construction of Harlow's new 'Leisurezone', the sports and leisure centre which is one of the elements of the Harlow Gateway Project, has passed the half-way mark and work is on target to see the venue open on time next autumn. A...

Inflation hits 16-year high as recession looms on the horizon.(Industry News)
October 1, 2008... Inflation has hit a 16-year high, as rising utility bills and higher food prices take their toll on the consumer. The Consumer Prices Index hit 4.7% in August--up from the previous month's rate of 4.4%. The last time the cost of living...

SMEs avoid their bank managers.(Industry News)
October 1, 2008... Almost half (49%) of business owners and directors have not seen their bank manager for a year or more, while nearly a quarter (23%) can't remember the last time they met, while, one in ten respondents to the survey from Close Invoice Finance...

Independent operators get behind green measures.(Industry News)
October 1, 2008... Almost all independent hospitality businesses have introduced one or more energy saving or recycling initiatives, according to a survey by Beacon Purchasing. However, still less than a third of businesses are currently recycling, with lack...

Economy to shrink by 0.2%.(Industry News)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... A new report by Capital Economics suggests that the UK economy will shrink by 0.2% during 2009. This would lead to a full-year drop in GDP, according to the forecaster, the first since 1991. Capital's forecast comes after updated...

Leisure recruiter opens new head office division.(The Buzz)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Leisure and hospitality recruiter, The Buzz, part of the Ochre House group, has opened a division to specialise in head office appointments. The company, which has traditionally focused on 'front line' roles in the sector, will now also cover...

UK services sector shrinks further says CIPS.(Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply's )(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The UK services sector shrunk for a fourth successive month in August, according to the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply's (CIPS) Services Purchasing Managers' Index. The sector improved slightly in August as contraction slowed,...

Investors deserting small-caps, claims VCT.
October 1, 2008... Julian Avery, chairman of Invesco Perpetual's AIM VCT, says the sharp decline in the fund's assets reflects "extreme aversion to investment in UK companies with low market capitalisations". In the year to May, The FTSE AIM All Share Index...

Econom-exercising: David Minton investigates his theory of 'Exerconomics', which posits that a downturn in the economy fuels an upsurge in the public's physical activity.(Insight)
October 1, 2008... Lipstick Economics--no, I'm not talking about the gun-toting, hockey mum, Sarah Palin, but the observation that sales of small luxury items like lipstick and lip gloss surge ahead in an economic slowdown. Leonard Lauder, the chairman of...

2012--After the golden show: in the first of a two-part series, Ray Algar looks at the idea of an Olympic 'legacy', and asks what exactly needs to be done ensure London delivers.(Insight: Olympic legacy)
October 1, 2008... Three years have already passed since London narrowly pipped Paris by 54 votes to 50 to secure the right to host the 30th summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. Paris was strongly tipped to secure the vote in Singapore with Madrid, London, New...

Will the nice guy finish first? Under chief executive Nick Varney, Merlin Entertainments has grown to become the world's second-largest attractions group.(Insight: Behind the headlines)
October 1, 2008... Nick Varney, the chief executive of Merlin Entertainments Group, loves his job so much it's enough to make you get the sick bag out. "I feel like a kid who's been let loose in the biggest toyshop in the world," he enthuses, without apparent...

Getting into the swing? As a new report from English Golf champions the progress made in encouraging new players to the game, Duncan Rowe asks if there is more that could still be done.(Insight: Golf development)
October 1, 2008... Golf. A Marmite of a game, and an enigma as a business proposition. As the second-most popular ball sport in England, after football, with just under a million golf club members and hundreds of thousands of irregular players, golf may polarise...

Salary-sacrifice training: Shawn Healy, employment tax director at BDO Stoy Hayward, explores a method of funding training provision through tax legislation that few in the industry will have heard of until now.(Insight: Staff training)
October 1, 2008... "Soldier forced to sleep in car after hotel refuses him a room" screamed the headlines earlier this mouth as a receptionist turned away a soldier because it was "company policy". The impact this incident may have to that particular chain...

Banking on Baz: Ian Jarrett looks at the reasons behind the sale of some of Australia's iconic resort properties, from the outback to the reef, as the Voyages Hotels & Resorts portfolio comes to market.(Insight: Voyages Hotels sale)
October 1, 2008... In 1991 not-so-old Etonian Will Burrell and his wife Celia searched Australia's outback looking for a cattle station they could convert into a luxury wilderness resort. They found El Questro "probably the worst cattle station in Australia",...

Looking back to the future: consumer behaviour in previous recessions can tell us about prospects for the coming one, with the jobs market and unemployment figures crucial to confidence.(Insight: Recession trends)
October 1, 2008... The CBI, FT, IOD, OECD, and other institutions that constitute the alphabet soup of economic forecasting a re agreed- the current economic downturn will become a full-blown recession in 2009. There was a time when we were quite used to...

Hard-up gym customers flock to Leisure Connection venues.(News: Health, fitness & sport)
October 1, 2008... As the credit crunch looks set to continue to worsen, Leisure Connection, a leading operator of public access sports and leisure centres has reported an increase in new members, looking for cost-effective ways to keep fit. The national...

Rugby top flight in 3-year deal with Gatorade.(News: Health, fitness & sport)
October 1, 2008... PepsiCo and Britvic have announced Gatorade's partnership with the Guinness Premiership to create English rugby's first central exclusive sport drink deal, which will see Gatorade used on the sidelines English Rugby's top flight, over the next...

Gymbox secures expansion capital from Hotbed fund.(News: Health, fitness & sport)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Gymbox, the London-based fitness club, is opening a third gym in the City, after securing a seven-figure funding package from Hotbed, an investment group for private speculators, and HSBC. Gymbox, which boasts sprinter Dwain Chambers and...

DC sites in Quest for perfection.(News: Health, fitness & sport)
October 1, 2008... Wolverhampton Swimming and Fitness Centre, Kingsway, and Fleming Park Leisure Centres, all managed by DC Leisure, have announced Quest scores of above 80% for excellent service and customer care. The overall scores put all three centres in the...

Dodgeball recognised.
October 1, 2008... The sport of dodgeball has received official recognition by the UK Sports Councils, four years after it was introduced by the film: Dodgeball: A True Underdog Story. Peter Robson, chairman of the U K Dodge Bail Association, said: "Our aim is to...

Playgolf settles.(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Playgolf the developer and operator of multi-sport facilities in the UK, announced that the company and its bankers have reached a settlement with the Kilmartin Property Group concerning the firms' joint venture, Playgolf Kilmartin, at the East...

Life role for Wille.(Life Fitness promoted Dan Wille )(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Life Fitness has promoted Dan Wille to the role of UK vice president and general manager. "The UK market continues to offer opportunities and with more than 14 years' experience in the industry, we are confident that Dan is more than qualified...

From the rumour mill.(Nick Smith)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Nick Smith, fitness director of Fitness First has left the company... The second MiFit from JJB will open in Reading, following the success of the first site in Cardiff... Rochdale Council has received 500,000 [pounds sterling] from its local...

VisitBritain chair warns of challenges to growth.(News: Tourism & attractions)
October 1, 2008... VisitBritain, the national tourism agency, has published its annual review of 2007/8, showing how its market intelligence and global reach has enabled the agency to continue a high level of performance against challenging market conditions. ...

Cost pressures force XL into administration.(News: Tourism & attractions)(XL Leisure Group)
October 1, 2008... XL Leisure Group, the UK's third-largest tour operator, has entered administration "having suffered as a result of volatile fuel prices and the economic downturn". The group, which comprised several brands including XL Airways, Excel...

'PotterWorld' performs well.(News: Tourism & attractions)(Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in Bowness-on-Windermere, Cumbria, reported a 38% increase in visitors since 2006. The boost in interest has been attributed to continuing promotions of the film Miss Potter, which first screened in...

PartyGaming enhances its casino offer with 'live streaming dealer'.(News: Betting & gaming)
October 1, 2008... PartyCasino.com, the online casino operated by PartyGaming, has entered into an agreement which will allow it to offer 'live dealer' casino streams to its customers. The agreement with EvolutionGaming, the provider of streamed casino...

OFT OKs sale of inspired pub arm.(News: Betting & gaming)
October 1, 2008... The Office of Fair Trading has cleared Danoptra's proposal to acquire Inspired Gaming's pubs division. The deal provides Gamestec, a division of leisure conglomerate Danoptra, with ownership of about 30,000 gaming machines installed in...

Revenues surge at Intralot.(News: Betting & gaming)(Financial report)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Intralot, the European-facing gaming group, has reported surging revenues during the first half of the year. The company saw a 45% rise in total revenues to 437.5m [euro] (348m [pounds sterling]) for the six months to 30 June, resulting in a...

BORN again NETeller sees its stable increase.(News: Betting & gaming)
October 1, 2008... Isle of Man based e-cash processor Neteller and the Europe- and Asia-facing BORN (BornForSports) e-commerce group, have signed a five year payment and joint marketing agreement which will see allow the exclusive use of a version of NETeller's...

Foreign buyers look to buy stakes in Camelot.(News: Betting & gaming)
October 1, 2008... A string of potential foreign buyers have made tentative approaches to acquire shareholdings in Camelot, the National Lottery operator. Although Camelot declined to comment on The Sunday Telegraph report, Cadbury and Thales--which have...

'Devilfish' enjoys TV promotion.(News: Betting & gaming)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Devilfish Gaming, the online poker firm which takes its name from the well-known poker professional David 'Devilfish' Ulliott, has been boosted by a new television series How to Become a Poker Millionaire, which aired on ITV Wales in September....

Betbrokers goes in administration.(News: Betting & gaming)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Betbrokers has been placed into administration, just a week after its U K brokerage business, Betbrokers Limited, has also called in the administrators. The company took the decision after its subsidiary was unable to repay a loan. In a...

Sales of both Ayr and Towcester racecourses under starter's orders.(News: Property & development)
October 1, 2008... Ayr Racecourse, home of the Scottish Grand National, has become the second major track to be put up for sale recently, for 12m [pounds sterling] to 14m [pounds sterling], following the news that Towcester is also on the market. Businessmen...

Donington unveils F1 upgrade plans.(News: Property & development)
October 1, 2008... The operator of Donington Park race track, Donington Ventures Leisure (DVL), has submitted plans for the first phase of the race track's 100m [pounds sterling] redevelopment to North West Leicestershire District Council, in preparation for the...

SBMS plans ambitious Worcs sports complex.(News: Property & development)
October 1, 2008... Private development group Sir Bert Millichip Sports (SBMS) has put forward proposals to create a community sports complex in Hindlip, Worcs, which would see a 618-acre site turned into a vast complex of facilities, including a 50m swimming...

UK's largest leisure PFI build opens on time.(News: Property & development)(Private Finance Initiative )(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The first and second phase openings of the UK's largest leisure PFI contract, in Rotherham, took place in September. The events mark the launch of the first new buildings to open in the programme of four new leisure facilities within the...

NEC names its new casino scheme.(News: Property & development)
October 1, 2008... Plans for a proposed 90m [pounds sterling] leisure complex, which would be a joint venture between the NEC Group, operater of the National Exhibition Centre (NEC), and casino group Genting Stanley, have moved forward as the NEC Group revealed...

Corby eyes 5m [pounds sterling] sports venue.(News: Property & development)
October 1, 2008... Corby Borough Council has announced plans to build a new 5m [pounds sterling] sports hub, focused around a first-class tennis facility, at the Rockingham Triangle Stadium in Corby, Northamptonshire, as part of wider regeneration plans. The...

Leisure helps Tragus post 3.4% rise in LFLs.(News: Food & drink)
October 1, 2008... Tragus Holdings, the privately-owned casual dining group, has announced a 3.4% increase in like-for-like sales as poor weather boosted spend in its leisure park locations while customers avoided alfesco dining. Reporting full-year figures...

Sector opposed to 'traffic light' menu labelling system.(News: Food & drink)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... The majority of independent hospitality businesses are opposed to a government-enforced traffic light labelling system for menus to show the nutritional content of food, according to a survey by purchasing consortium Beacon Purchasing. The...

Food retail sales rise despite slump.(News: Food & drink)
October 1, 2008... UK retail sales fell for the third consecutive month in August, with food the only sector to see a rise, as people ate at home rather than dined out. Like-for-like high street sales were 1% lower than a year before, according to figures...

Prezzo profits fall by 38%.(News: Food & drink)(Financial report)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Prezzo, the owner of the eponymous Italian chain of restaurants and Mexican format Chimichanga, reported a fall in pre-tax profits to 2.9m [pounds sterling] for the half year to 29 June 2008, down from 4.7m [pounds sterling] the previous year....

McDonald's posts 8.5% sales rise.(News: Food & drink)(Financial report)
October 1, 2008... McDonald's posted a stronger-than-expected 8.5% rise in global same store sales in August helped by growth in Europe and marketing during the Olympic Games. The rise surprised analysts who had been expecting a lower increase as consumers...

Coffeeheaven sees yearly LFLs rise 16%.(News: Food & drink)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Like-for-like sales at Coffeheaven International-the European branded coffee bar operator--have jumped by 16%. Revealing results for the year ending 31 March 2008, Coffeheaven said it had opened in two markets--Romania and Hungary-and...

LR Index leisure stockwatch September 2008.(Sharewatch)
October 1, 2008... After a month of some respite, UK leisure stocks came under more pressure in September as the collapse of Lehman Brothers and rescue deals for Merrill Lynch and AIG sent shockwaves through the world's financial systems. Adding to the pain...

Gala Coral.(People on the move)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Gala Coral announced that John Kelly OBE, the group's founder and non-executive chairman, will leave the group in October 2009. He will be succeeded by current chief executive, Nell Goulden. In addition, Dominic Harrison, currently chief...

The Rank Group.(People on the move)
October 1, 2008... The Rank Group unveiled Owen O'Donnell as its new non-executive director, with effect from 11 September 2008. O'Donnell is currently chief financial officer of Joost, the online media company. His previous appointments include chief financial...

Berkeley Simmins Hotels & Leisure.(People on the move)
October 1, 2008... Jeremy Simmons, former head of leisure at CBRE for the UK, has left the group to launch his own company specialising in hotels and leisure. The leisure specialist, who joined CBRE in 2006, has started a new venture called Berkeley Simmins...

Ladbrokes.(People on the move)
October 1, 2008... Following a review of its executive committee, Ladbrokes has announced a number of changes in responsibilities, effective immediately. Alan Ross, development director, will focus upon relationships with government in the UK and overseas as well...

Gaming VC Holdings.(People on the move)(appointment of Lee Feldman)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... Gaming VC Holdings said Lee Feldman, a non-executive director of the company, has been appointed non-executive chairman in place of Adrian Smith, with immediate effect. On 2 September, the company said the party which had made a preliminary...

Queenco Leisure International.(People on the move)
October 1, 2008... Queenco Leisure International, the listed emerging markets casinos developer and operator, has announced the appointment of Uri Ben-Ari as its new chief executive, with immediate effect. Ben-Ari replaces Dror Mizeretz who announced his...

Industry marketing veteran, Sarah Pearce, has joined the National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure (NSA) as communications manager.(People on the move)
October 1, 2008... Industry marketing veteran, Sarah Pearce, has joined the National Skills Academy for Sport and Active Leisure (NSA) as communications manager. In her new role at the NSA, she will be responsible for co-ordinating national and regional...

William Hill.(People on the move)(retirement of Ian Spearing)(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... William Hill said that Ian Spearing, corporate affairs director, would retire at the end of this year. His current responsibilities will be shared amongst the existing members of the executive management team. Charles Scott, chairman, said:...

PartyGaming.(People on the move)(appointment of Rod Perry )(Brief article)
October 1, 2008... PartyGaming unveiled the appointment of Rod Perry as non-executive chairman. Perry succeeds Michael Jackson, who steps down as a director. Perry has served as a non-executive director with PartyGaming since May 2005 and since February 2007 has...

Diary dates: October/November.(Appointments)(Calendar)
October 1, 2008... October Event: Euro Attractions Show Date: 30 Sep-2 Oct Location: Munich, Germany Description: Educational programs, networking events and over 250 exhibiting companies from the attractions industry Contact: +43 2216 2915...