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Newmarket, such a historic town, a town of classics, the HQ of world horse racing, ruined by the bookmakers, in a town of just over 20,000 there are now 13.. YES 13!! bookmakers the very bookmakers that take from the great sport newmarket represents, its like buying wayne rooney for 100m, and then putting him a burger diet, were just shooting ourselves in the foot, every year there is a story along the lines of "new bookmaker applies for planning permission- councils say no" 2 months later in the same paper "New bookmaker set for grand opening" at the end of the day the bigger the business the more the council charge them to be there, and with bookies being so popular in this town, they cant resist, our greedy council are ruining one of the most historic racecourses in the world.
I say shoot the lot.
I’m no fan of the bookmakers but you cannot blame them from a business perspective.
Also, as you point out, it is a good revenue stream for the local council, who are elected by the local residents are they not?
In my experience stable staff and connections are the worse tipsters in the known universe and they invariably have an over inflated view of the prospects of the runners in their charge and their stable and they are seemingly willing to back those beliefs with cash.
Is it therefore no surprise the bookmakers are lining up to take said money?
If I was a bookmaker my priority would be to have as many shops as possible in each of the training centres. Firstly to to take the mug money and, secondly, to find out where the money from the, rare, shrewd cookies is going.
It makes good business sense.
The last bookmaker to have a shop in Newmarket town centre was Cuthie (Suttle). Now there are only betting shops. Brian Wiseman has a shop up the Exning Road but in over 20 years I have never crossed the threshold so perhaps there is still one left.
The Market Street shop was once Mooney and Shorts, Oats worked in the Old Station Road shop till retirement. His father had done Bachelor’s Button who beat Pretty Polly in the Gold Cup. I haven’t seen him for a couple of years but he was volunteering at the Charity Shop in the New Cut. A true gentleman.
The self-same Old Station Road shop was the HQ of Laurie Wallis, until Michael sold the shops to concentrate on the on-course business.
I honestly thought there were far more than 13 betting shops in the town now but as Paul points out, racing folk are among the worst tipsters you could find. The quiet ones are usually the ones worth listening to if they deem you worthy.
I completely agree with both, and yes the old "i rode this one this morning its a machine"… did you ride the other 24 in this race then? and yes they are elected by the local residents, but when your surrounded by idiots and only idiots decide to elect themselves for election.. what can you do?
Its the bookies taking money from racing, and the historic town council is allowing the bookies to do it, taking money from your own town is rediculous, then when ascot take champions day away, they are first to complain, idiots.Any planning applications are decided by Forest Heath District Council rather than the Town Council. The ineptitude of that body to cater for the needs of all the towns and villages in its jurisdiction is probably not something that would concern this forum but Newmarket gets the lion’s share and the vulture’s for that matter.
I’m more concerned about Lord Derby’s proposed development of houses and commercial premises at Hatchfield Farm than the local bookies and hope there is not going to be any sort of appeal after his application was overturned.
Newmarket still remains a lovely historic racing town with many historic buildings open to the public and a wonderful Museum and of course The National Stud.
The bookies will come and go (hopefully go) but the history will always be there.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...I can understand why most of them want a prescence in the town and Paddy Power has opened in the last couple of months whilst Jennings have taken over Betterbet.
The most strange situation though is Betfred having two shops on the same side of the High Street less than 100 metres apart!
I guess it is supply and demand though and whilst there are lads willing to bet then they will keep in business.
I agree with Triptych there are probably more things to worry about on the planning front.
Eclipse First – your message brought back memories. I started betting in the town at the bookies opposite Palace House Stables when you only got a crackly blower service and were given tombola tickets as proof of your bet. Bruce Hobbs’ lad bet there and I’m suprised they lasted very long as shrewd outfit.
Poor Brian Wiseman died about 10 years ago. His son Chris took over for a while but couldn’t make it pay once Betfair got established and he is now out of the trade.
I’m more concerned about Lord Derby’s proposed development of houses and commercial premises at Hatchfield Farm than the local bookies and hope there is not going to be any sort of appeal after his application was overturned.
Newmarket still remains a lovely historic racing town with many historic buildings open to the public and a wonderful Museum and of course The National Stud.
The bookies will come and go (hopefully go) but the history will always be there.
I can’t see the problem with the Hatchfield Farm dvelopement . I would be interested to know about the many historic buildings which are open to the public ?
I can see the point about the number of bookies in the town but – no betting – no racing.
I can’t see the problem with the Hatchfield Farm dvelopement . I would be interested to know about the many historic buildings which are open to the public ?
Top historic building has to be The Jockey Club Rooms est. 250 years ago, for which you can book a tour of the Rooms and their Art Collection with lunch, dinner or afternoon tea included if required.
Palace House was built for King Charles 11 (Old Rowley) from which the Rowley Mile takes it’s name in the 17th Century and it was rumoured that when King Edward V11 was in residence he had a secret passageway built to link with the Cadogan Hotel for secret liasons with Lily Langtry.
The Palace House Stakes a 5f Gp. 3 sprint, is run on the Rowley Mile on the same day as the 2,000 Guineas and last year was won by Tangerine Trees at 18/1, trained by Bryan Smart.
Things turn out best for those who make the best of how things turn out...I completely agree with both, and yes the old "i rode this one this morning its a machine"… did you ride the other 24 in this race then? and yes they are elected by the local residents, but when your surrounded by idiots and only idiots decide to elect themselves for election.. what can you do?
Its the bookies taking money from racing, and the historic town council is allowing the bookies to do it, taking money from your own town is rediculous, then when ascot take champions day away, they are first to complain, idiots.Newmarket is going downhill, until The Bushes!
Here we go again.
Blame everything on the Bookies.
Who’s the "idiot"?
They’re providing a service.
If people did not want a bet there’d be no betting shops."Bookmakers" don’t contribute ANY money to the Levy, all of it comes from the PUNTER. The punter is on the whole a lot less well off than the OWNER. The owner, even those with a small share (say £200) is using their spare money in a way that gives them enjoyment. In the same way as punters are betting for their own enjoyment. If people want "bookmakers" to pay more, then what they are really saying is they want the less well off PUNTER to pay more, in to the pockets of the more well off (sometimes millionaire) OWNER.
ie. Robbing the (comparitively) POOR to pay the (comparitively) RICH.
Value Is Everything"They’re providing a service.
If people did not want a bet there’d be no betting shops."Ginger, by that token you might want to advocate the legalization of heroin. Bookmakers do provide a "service", but they have a parasitic relationship with the sports that they offer markets on. In reality they only give lip service to incentives like Gamble Aware.
Newmarket is a town with huge differences between the mean and median incomes. While the various betting emporiums mean that the High Street looks respectable in passing through, it paints a false picture. Admittedly the town probably has the highest proportion of mug punters per capita in the country but the infestation of betting shops in the town does show they have minimal ethics. Having been to a few meetings and seminars in Palace House and other venues within Forest Heath regarding leisure activities I can assure you that there is an emphasis on image over substance.
Unfortunately for the bookie bashers ultimately it’s the punters and the levy that supply the money to racing which it desperately needs and without which there would be no racing/vastly reduced fixture list.
As for why bookies want shops in Newmarket – it’s fairly obvious, there’s so many people who think they’re well connected and have an "aeroplane" at home yet are hopeless judges of the formbook. Just a matter of sifting through – you also get a fair lead into the yards if you lay the right punters in the shops.
Martin
"They’re providing a service.
If people did not want a bet there’d be no betting shops."Ginger, by that token you might want to advocate the legalization of heroin. Bookmakers do provide a "service", but they have a parasitic relationship with the sports that they offer markets on. In reality they only give lip service to incentives like Gamble Aware.
Newmarket is a town with huge differences between the mean and median incomes. While the various betting emporiums mean that the High Street looks respectable in passing through, it paints a false picture. Admittedly the town probably has the highest proportion of mug punters per capita in the country but the infestation of betting shops in the town does show they have minimal ethics. Having been to a few meetings and seminars in Palace House and other venues within Forest Heath regarding leisure activities I can assure you that there is an emphasis on image over substance.
Heroin and gambling. As you say yourself EF, only one is legal, so the two are very different. Bookmakers are providing a service of something which is legal. A lot of betting shop so called "mug punters" enjoy their bet even if it loses. Just as someone else might enjoy a pint in a pub. And yet, how many fights are there outside a betting shop?
Why "Minimal ethics"
Ownners of the 13th betting shop in Newmarket should not be seen as any different from owners of the only betting shop in a non-racing town. Both are there because they believe it can make a profit, just like any Business.Value Is EverythingSo long as there is not a fight in the street it wouldn’t concern you if someone has lost all their money on a Friday afternoon and their children have not got anything to eat? Not everyone is blessed with self-discipline and just because it is legal, it doesn’t mean that its abuse cannot cause real misery and hardship to innocent victims.
The minimal ethics was a reference to FHDC rather than the betting shop chains although I concede I could have made that clearer.So long as there is not a fight in the street it wouldn’t concern you if someone has lost all their money on a Friday afternoon and their children have not got anything to eat? Not everyone is blessed with self-discipline and just because it is legal, it doesn’t mean that its abuse cannot cause real misery and hardship to innocent victims.
Of course problem gamblers "concern me" EF, as does any addiction. Got in touch with Gamcare about someone I know at the races that I’m concerned about. They should all be given the help they need.
But the number of betting shops in a town makes no difference to problem gamblers. They’ll just walk in to one of the others.
What are we supposed to do? Ban all betting?
Value Is EverythingNo because banning something doesn’t work, human nature is lured to the excitement of the illicit. If there was a Pari-Mutuel monopoly it would ensure that everyone got value and racing would be able to sustain itself far more effectively than is currently the case.
I’m sure the increased number of betting shops in any town has seen a reduction in the overall net profit for those shops, as a result the amount of money put back in racing has been reduced as the bookmaker’s margins have been reduced so the greater choice for punters is actually detrimental to racing.
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