Off tube commentary

[llanrumneyboy]

Hi Paul,

Actually it was Willy Hills adjacent to the Good Companions in sunny Llanrumney. I do remember the bookies in Greenway Road. I do believe when the Sporting Life was still in hard-copy circulaton that they would offer the forecast SP to small amounts. Some of the shrewd Llanrumneyites, a contradiction in terms, would wander over there for that purpose.

Predominately, I was a Goodies punter. You’ld get a better class of villain there. Off course, there was the odd down and out. One is already a seasoned forumite, and I’m sure he knows who he is………that’s right "TheWelshWizard".

Cheers,

Dave

[the welsh wizard]

In later years, that Greenway Rd shop was taken over by another independent who offered "no tax before 12 noon". I remember during my mad gambling youth going over and having £500 on a Carson/Hern animal at around 11/8 to save the £50. He looked at me as it to say "This offer is to save the old blokes 11p on their yankees not for cnuts like you". Fair play, he took the bet and it got beat. Good luck to him. He’s dead now. David Parsons was his name.

[% MAN]

He’s dead now. David Parsons was his name.

Thanks Wizard,

That’s it Dave Parsons – I knew it was Dave something, he took over from his dad and used to stand at Chepstow.

I remember when he died, I was really shocked, as he was no age and he was a really decent chap as well, what I would call an old school bookie.

[the welsh wizard]

Well, he wasn’t really a decent bookie, he was just a fiddler on course really. Happy to pinch a couple of hundred. He wasn’t interested in taking big bets – thats why I was so surprised when he took that bet in the shop that day. He was a nice fella though.

[the welsh wizard]

Before that, in the mod-80’s I did my apprenticeship in the independent (TB Fish) shop in old St Mellons village. Freddie was the bookie’s manager, opened up at 12.00 and closed after the last horse race. Halcyon days.

[Author]

Posts