Ride death verdict prompts safety warning
22 Dec 2008
Theme parks and fairgrounds in the UK have been urged to ensure that staff are properly trained after the operator of Oakwood Theme Park in Pembrokeshire was fined £250,000 for an incident which led to the death of a teenage girl in 2004.
Oakwood Leisure was also ordered to pay £80,000 costs by a judge at Swansea Crown Court on 18 December after the company pleaded guilty to a health and safety charge of failing to ensure visitors were not exposed to any risks.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said that the death of 16-year-old Hayley Williams, who fell 100ft (30.5m) from the park's Hydro Ride in April 2004, should serve as a warning to other operators.
HSE inspector, Phil Nicolle, said: "This tragic case should serve as a warning to all fairground operators that safety must be their top priority.
"Fairgrounds, including theme parks, attract and entertain millions of people safely each year but regrettably accidents and incidents do happen. Yet the majority of incidents are, as in this case, caused by management failings."
The HSE added that an investigation into Oakwood Theme Park found that there were "systematic failures" in the training and supervision of staff.
The Rank Group announces casino roll out in Scotland
07 Nov 2008
The first G Casino in Scotland has opened as part of owner The Rank Group's plans to invest £15m in developing three new Scottish casinos.
The £6m G Casino opened in Aberdeen at City Wharf on 31 October and will be followed by sites in Dundee by 2009 and Edinburgh soon after.
Architects Roberts Limbrick created the 24,000sq ft casino, in collaboration with Curtins Consulting and Silcock Dawson. The casino includes 10 gaming tables (five roulette and five card tables), 30 electronic roulette terminals – linked to two live games and an automated wheel – 20 slot machines and a 120-seat poker room.
The casino was built by contractor Multibuild in collaboration with mechanical engineers Wilden Services and electrical services company Hevertech.
A Rank spokesperson said: "As a company, we've never deliberately stayed out of Scotland. However, when we bought Grosvenor it didn't have any Scottish developments. Since then we’ve reviewed our portfolio alongside that of our competitors and looked for areas of opportunity. Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh are areas that we, along with the licensing authorities, feel provide that opportunity."
Rank also operates gaming brands including Mecca Bingo, Grosvenor Casinos, Blue Square and Top Rank Espana.
Lucked out for Gala Coral
12 Sep 2008
It is always sad when a great career ends on a low note. John Kelly, chairman of Gala Coral, is bowing out of the company he founded 11 years ago.
Until recently Mr Kelly could do no wrong. With a series of deals he turned what was a small bingo club operator into Britain's biggest gambling group.
He looked set for one last spin of the wheel when the smoking ban set off a losing streak that left Gala's private equity backers nursing heavy losses.
Still, we shouldn't be too worried. The four buyouts he has led in Gala's short life have made him enough for the odd flutter.
90 Percent Re-Booking Rate For New Look IGE
18 Aug 2008
The global casino industry has provided a ringing endorsement of the re-named International Gaming Expo with 90 per cent of this year’s exhibitors confirming their attendance at the 2009 event.
Occupying the entire ground floor area of both Earls Court 1 and Earls Court 2, the International Gaming Expo is being billed as the world’s leading gaming event.
The swift take up of space means that the 10,660 square metres (115,000 sq.ft) of stand space in Earls Court 2 was sold out a full six months ahead of the show opening.
IGE sales manager, Jon Hales commented: “The most influential names in the casino industry are backing the new look International Gaming Expo.
With our above- and below-the-line visitor campaign, which starts in the Autumn, plus the support and endorsement of the European Casino Association, we can look forward to a strong and buoyant launch of what promises to be the world’s leading gaming event.”
The International Gaming Expo, incorporating ICE and ICEi, takes place across 27, 28 and 29 January 2009 at London’s Earls Court Exhibition Centre.
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