Seaside supplement2014 digital

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Perspectives | Commentary | Analysis | Politics | Products

May 9 - May 13, 2014 • No. 2367 • www.coinslot.co.uk

Seaside Amusements Sector 2014

Oh, the Brits do like to be beside the seaside Growing family interest in holidaying on the UK’s shores is powering a resurgent seaside as redemption and pushers continue to drive the coastal cashbox. Coinslot Review takes a closer look at this vintage sector and reveals preparations that are underway for the all important summer season.

The Great British seaside story: A revival in the making PERSPECTIVES The latest coast insight from BACTA president, Steve Hawkins.

MARKET ANALYSIS Changing market trends and the importance of licensed prizes

BUSINESS The return of video and classic gaming machines

PRODUCTS The latest products from seaside suppliers

Exciting new assortment of plush characters for the forthcoming movie by Dreamworks Animation

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2nd July - Belgium, France & Netherlands 3rd July - Denmark. 4th July - UK, Estonia, Sweden 31st July - Germany. 1st August - Spain. 16th August - Italy For further details - www.imdb.com/title/tt1646971/

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www.whitehouseleisure.co.uk Wilson House, Bentalls, Pipps Hill, Basildon, Essex SS14 3BX, England Telephone: +44 (0) 1268 274284 Fax: +44 (0) 1268 274285 E-Mail: sales@whitehouseleisure.co.uk

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CoinslotReview Seaside Supplement 2014

Can the seaside become our Crowning glory?

PERSPECTIVE Crown Direct CEO Dean Harding believes that attracting customers at the seaside is all about offering something families cannot get at home, with machines that are tried and tested on site.

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ith the seaside entering the critical summer period and machines more expensive than ever, it’s vital they operators are confidence in their purchases.

“I think the days of people buying something because they like it or they fancy it have gone,” said Crown Direct managing director, Dean Harding.“We’ve got to be demonstrating to our customers that our machines are good games and they are proven.The price of machines has gone up, so people have got to be 100 percent in their investment.”

As a supplier of machines and the operator of its own arcades, Crown has a unique perspective when it comes to advising seaside customers on the best games.“We have the benefit of our own arcades, so the stuff that we test. It’s almost like a season lag, so the stuff that we’ll test this season becomes the selling for next season,” said Harding.

“We’ll always have a few in the first season, but generally the volume comes in the second year.”

When it comes to what actually makes those machines good performers, Harding says, “it’s about doing something different to what they can get at home.” The proliferation of technology has made entertainment easier than every to come by, so standing out from the crown is of vital importance.

“Everybody’s got iPads and phones, we generally see the mechanical element or the physical element of a game that makes it so different” said Harding. “This year, one of the strongest games for us is Down the Clown, from

Ice. It’s a very physical game in terms of a tradition carnival game, where you throw balls and to knock the man off at the back.”This kind of active entertainment is not something you can experience outside the arcade.

“It’s about offering an experience,” said Harding, “and even in the video type games, whether it’s Xbox or PlayStation, the experience at home is very very good. So to sell something into the FEC market it’s got to be something like Transformers from Sega, in a theatre cabinet so it’s big, or Alpine Racer, which has the physical movement and the simulation that you can’t get at home.”

Appealing to kids is particularly important at the seaside and carnival games like Down the Clown or big video experiences based on well known licenses are likely to key to capturing their attention. “It’s about a value, it’s about entertainment and it’s about reward,” said Harding.“Whether that’s a reward in terms of the experience or in terms of the tickets that the kids collect and redeem at the prize shop.”

Ultimately, however, the seaside sector remains at the mercy of the temperamental English climate.“As much as we try, we saw the difference in 2013 versus 2012,” said Harding.“In 2012 it absolutely poured down, it was the wettest summer on record for 100 years and then last year we had a great, really warm start to the year and, although I don’t think the summer holiday was exception in terms of the weather, it was at least it was dry and it makes such a massive difference.”

The challenge, says Harding, is encouraging people to travel to the seaside during a wet period.“I still think when people travel to the coast, whether you go to Skegness or Blackpool or Brighton, there are good operators around and there are some fantastic locations around, but the challenge is getting them to the coast when it’s raining.

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2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

sectoroverview SWOT ANALYSIS

Coastal arcades and FECs to be proud of

Large swathes of UK-based coastal operators have adjusted their business practices in a bid to reinvent the ‘traditional seaside offering’ after dodging legislative and economic slings and arrows for almost a decade.

Whisper this, but it might just be working.

SWOT ANALYSIS SEASIDE SECTOR STRENGTHS •Seaside arcade ‘experience’ impossible to replicate elsewhere •All links of coin-op chain have adapted to better serve the sector •Consistent support from BACTA WEAKNESSES •Investment in product can mean sacrificing promotional activity •Ultimately at mercy of the weather OPPORTUNITIES •New arcade owners coming through to bring original ideas to the table •Massive variety of innovative new products •Nostalgia angle being exploited THREATS •Other forms of entertainment available on consoles, handhelds and online to replicate elsewhere •Reduced disposable income

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n recent news, a number of traditional coastal resorts in England, Scotland and Wales received a boost with the knowledge that they were to benefit from a further six years’ worth of regional aid, having again qualified as ‘assisted areas’.The idea being, of course, that by helpful investment now, the future of such places will be more sustainable. Despite the oft-mentioned closures and overall industry contraction, therefore, there are some positive tidings out there.

Also in the last few weeks,statistics and reports from both VisitEngland and hotel chain Travelodge have backed up the assertion that the ‘staycation’ trend is no flash in the pan.

Shakila Ahmed, spokeswoman for the latter, said of the recent Easter Bank Holiday weekend: “Keeping the children entertained over the Easter school holidays is no easy task and this year, parents are certainly investing in an Easter Staycation short break, as we have seen a double digit increase in sales. Our data shows a new trend, with savvy parents foregoing a traditional two night stay in one location for a single night stay in two different areas.”

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The VisitEngland poll, meanwhile, stated that 6.5m people had planned day trips over Easter weekend, potentially boosting the UK economy by £800m. It would be reasonable to suggest, therefore, that UK holidaymakers will return to their own seaside resorts in the summer, eschewing plane fares and the effort and hassle involved with taking the kids abroad.

All this means nothing, of course, unless the UK’s seaside amusement operations offer something relevant, interesting and of perceived value to family groups that face a greater choice in terms of paid-for entertainment than ever before.

Like it or not, therefore, the role of the coastal operator is becoming more like a retailer than that of a traditional arcade owner.While not every coastal operator has embraced redemption, many of those who haven’t done so have taken on board prize vending machines, in other words self-contained retail units,or at least made some sort of a shift away from ‘adult’ gaming towards novelty and amusement.

Adult gaming areas are still very much part of the overall machine mix (while of course set in a distinctly different area of

the premises) and this is reflected by the more gaming-driven equipment that serves up an altogether different ‘gaming’ experience.

Tangible rewards, from the single 2p sweet all the way through to smartphones and tablets, are the norm of course these days and the move towards this more retail-driven environment has been interesting to watch. For every seaside operation that does redemption, for example, there has to be a supplier with his eye on the ball in terms of the latest plush, gift and tech toy trends.

While so much is dependent on the weather in terms of overall footfall, the seaside sector has moved on in leaps and bounds since the dark days in the immediate aftermath of the Gambling Act 2005 when it became law in 2007. Both operator and punter have to work so much harder for their money nowadays, admittedly, but in the knowledge that people both sides of the fence have had to seriously re-think how - and where - they spend their money - it could be reasonably argued that the operations on our sunny shores are better equipped to serve the modern family’s needs than a decade ago.

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2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

marketperspectives GRAND PIER

After a testing 2013 and a taxing start to 2014, seaside icon the Grand Pier has reversed negative trends in dwell time and spend per head and is looking forward to the summer with renewed optimism. Michelle Michael talks candidly to Coinslot Review.

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Up for the challenge ven though it remains one of the UK’s most popular seaside amusement attractions, the past 12 months been no less challenging for Weston-super-Mare’s Grand Pier.

On the plus side, it continued to draw fun-seeking visitors to its pavilion in their thousands. On the down side, those visitors remained reluctant to spend,deterred by an uncertain economy.

Michelle Michael, co-owner of the Grand Pier, explained:“As a free admission attraction, we have found that in tougher economic times, whilst footfall continued to show pleasing figures, spend per head and dwell time have suffered.

“The great summer weather of 2013 also contributed to reduced dwell times, where we saw visitors coming into the pavilion to get out of the sun rather than to enjoy the facilities.

As a consequence,visitors spent less time at the pier’s amusement equipment, leading to less vigorous cashbox performance.

Michael continued: “We certainly haven’t seen any growth in the last twelve months in the coin-op sector,and this year we have taken the decision to try some

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new stock to see whether our visitors were not spending because they were tired of the existing machines on the floor.

“We have had disappointing results on almost all of the stock trialled, which further reinforced the fact that people have less to spend.”

However, results from this year’s Easter holiday have offered hope that the remainder of 2014 will bring better things to come.

A new marketing initiative that addressed the issue of dwell time proved successful, and with the early forecasts predicting record temperatures across the UK during summer, Michael is now feeling positive about the season ahead.

She commented:“We have had a good Easter, enjoying a 20 per cent uplift on last year’s figures and a record Easter Saturday.

“We believe that the new marketing initiative has increased dwell time and spend per head by encouraging visitors to make the most of their experience.”

The Grand Pier and Weston-super-Mare still have challenges to overcome. One of the most pressing is the lack of support the resort receives from its local authority.

“We have had no support from our local

authority in respect of destination marketing, despite quite a public campaign stating this in the local press,”Michael revealed.

“As a result our area has lost its touristic identity and brand and most businesses can ill afford their own marketing spend as it is, so there is nothing left in their budgets for any destination marketing.

“Consequently, we have had to rely upon not-for-profit organisations such as the Somerset Tourism Association, which promote our region as a whole, and who are supported by other councils in the region to promote tourism.”

On a national scale, Michael said that when it came to the promotion of tourism in the South West, too often her county was ignored in favour of its near neighbours.

“In Somerset we feel that we are always overlooked for funding by national bodies and we always find the Devon and Cornwall seem to always be promoted in the national campaigns,”she said.

“The recent flooding on the Somerset levels has meant that for the first time we have managed to secure some funding to promote the fact that Somerset is still open for business and detail the scope of the activities and facilities for tourist to enjoy.”

A lot has changed in 20 years, but not at SB machines

The same team is still offering the same expertise and the same high quality product +44(0)1656 783894 www.sbmachines.co.uk

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2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

marketperspectives WILKIE LEISURE

It might not be immediately obvious what value regeneration represents for seaside amusements operators, but for David Wilkie the boost it has brought to his business is easy to see.

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The benefit of regeneration s a concept, regeneration seems wholly positive, taking an area rundown and in dire straits and reviving it with modern business, leisure and retail developments.

In practice, though, for the seaside amusements operator it isn’t always obvious how a new block of offices or multiscreen cinema will bring any benefit to them.

But in New Brighton, David Wilkie, owner of Wilkie Leisure, which operates the New Palace family funfair attraction, is certain that regeneration has helped revitalise his business.

14 years ago he spent over £1m refurbishing the New Palace, which up until then had catered for an older demographic with a big go-kart track and more adult-oriented rides, all housed indoors.

Wilkie created the Adventureland indoor children’s play area and an acre of outdoor space with fairground rides, and instituted an age restriction of up to 12years-old with families.

For the first five years he reaped the rewards of adopting this more family-ori-

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ented approach, eliminating the need to employ security on the premises and growing a wider customer base.

Then,as the economy began to stagnate and headed towards recession, times became tough. Over a period of seven or eight years, Wilkie drew in the purse strings and stopped spending to keep his business alive.

Fortunately, it was during this period that Wirral Council began taking steps to reverse decades of decline in New Brighton.

Partnering with property developer Neptune Developments, it began a twophase, £60m program of regeneration in 2007, starting with the £17m redevelopment of the resort’s Floral Pavilion theatre and conference centre.

More development followed, and by 2012 New Brighton found itself with a host of leisure and retail businesses designed to boost commercial activity, including a six-screen cinema, a budget hotel, a new supermarket and an outdoor lido and spa.

The boost to the local economy didn’t

take long to take effect at the New Palace, Wilkie explained:“Two years ago we saw a five per cent increase in our profit, last year we went up 12.5 per cent, and this year we’re looking at being up ten per cent on that.”

As a consequence,Wilkie has begun to re-invest in his business once again, refurbishing the Adventureland indoor children’s play area and bringing in new Category B3 machines, pushers and some larger redemption pieces for the Bright Spot family amusement arcade.

While his spend of between £20,000 and £30,000 on new equipment might not be as much as the £50,000 he would spend annually, it is another sign of Wilkie’s confidence that, as New Brighton blossoms, market conditions are improving.

“We still have our struggles - the minimum wage has gone up for the past seven years, and I can’t pass that on to our customers, nor the tax that the government puts on my cashbox,nor the business rates that have gone up by around £15,000 over the past four years, but things are looking up,” he added.

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2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

Investing is the ultimate premium: Bond LEISURE 2000 The past decade has not been kind on the seaside amusements operator, with changes in gaming legislation and increased competition resulting in several opting to shut their doors and seek ventures new.

Gary Bond of Leisure 2000 has, however, taken a difference stance.

The Paignton operator has gone on the business offensive...and how.

or Gary Bond, owner of Leisure 2000 in Paignton, the common factor of those business that have survived parlous market conditions is not complex - they have simply continued investing to keep on top of their game.

Having weathered the storm, he is even now allowing himself to look positively at the future of the sector.

He commented: “Although I wouldn’t go as far to say that the future is bright, now there is light at the end of tunnel.

“Each season seems to get a little bit better despite a bad to start to last season, thanks to a terrible Easter, summer itself was very good and this year it looks as if Easter has been very good as well, so hopefully that sets the stage for another good year.

If you have invested wisely and moved into redemption, which gets stronger and stronger each year, I think things will be okay.”

Of course, Bond hasn’t simply spent money on anything and everything in the hope of uncovering the next great amusement machine.

He has tried to be as judicious with his investment as possible - something he admits is not always easy.

He explained: “In the past I have bought machines I thought would be exceptional that turned out to be poor, and I have been recommended pieces I wasn’t sure about that turned out to be very good.

“We used to go to the show in January and there might be ten different versions of something and we would order six of them, but these days you have to pick the best two or three.

“You have to keep on top of your equipment offering and you have to keep re-investing. The analogy I would use is that of a Playstation game. People don’t want play FIFA 2013 now, they want to play FIFA 2014, and it is the same scenario in my arcade.”

Narrowing down the equipment that has helped drive year-on-year growth, Bond said it is now coming from the family-oriented machines, predominantly cranes, pushers and redemption.

The latter wasn’t something that he took to instantly, he revealed: “I tried redemption many years ago when it first arrived in the UK. The standard wasn’t good enough and I got my fingers burnt, which put me off.

“For seven or eight years I had people saying that I really should reconsider, and about five years ago we decide to go back into it. Since then, I haven’t looked back, and every year the variety of redemption I have continues to grow.

“I have a few less Category D fruit machines, a few less videos and this year I decided to sell my two bowling laines - not because they weren’t a good because but so I could fit in more redemption.”

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2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

marketperspectives BURNHAM PAVILION

Burnham Pavilion draws a plan to keep the incentive alive

The Pavilion at Burnham-on-Sea celebrates its 100th birthday this year, and to mark the occasion, its owners are offering coach drivers who stop in the town's free coach park the chance to win a £100 cash prize every week as a thank-you for enhancing footfall. What better incentive to park the bus down the seaside rather than at Jose’s Stamford Bridge?

n a promotional move aimed at boosting visitor levels, from April until September, every coach driver who stops at Burnham coach park will receive a raffle ticket for a weekly prize, to go with other incentives already in place.

Les Barber, coach destination manager, said:“Project Coach is pleased to be playing a part in one of Burnham's most iconic landmarks birthday celebrations. We thank Louise and her family for this and for what they are doing to keep this town thriving as it is.”

Ian Jefferies, business and tourism manager, added:“We thank all at the Pavilion for recognising the value of the coach industry and what it brings to our small town.The owners have always supported us in what we are trying to achieve and this raffle will most certainly add to our

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CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

ever increasing coach trade.”

Louise Parkin, owner of the Pavilion, said:“To coach drivers: we appreciate you and that you bring your passengers to our town.Thank you.”

Built in 1914, the Pavilion was the first concrete structure of its kind in Europe and civil engineers came from all over Britain to admire it.However,by the 1960s, it had fallen into decline and dereliction, but in 1968 Harry Parkin Snr bought and restored as a family amusement and entertainment centre.

Industry veteran Parkin still plays an active role in the operation and believes that now is the hour for the 10p pusher to dominate coastal arcades. He told Coinslot Review:“I think it’s time for 10p pushers. I’ve seen single player 10p pushers take as much as six or eight player 2p pushers and, let’s face it, everyone’s looking for a good return on their investment.

The 10p pusher isn’t a new concept, far from it, as we had them 15 years ago. Even conversions are well worth a look. Luxor, for example, was a 2p game. I had it converted to a 10p redemption piece and now it’s taking four times more.”

Parkin added: “Furthermore, the finance deals which were available in times gone by just aren’t there any more.

If an operator was to spend £18,000£20,000 on a brand new 2p pusher, and don’t forget you can’t claim the VAT back

now, it would take two to three years before it showed a profit. Put it this way, if I bought a pusher next week it would be a 10p one.”

His daughter Louise currently manages the day-to-day business of the pier and was instrumental in gaining planning permission for a new retractable roof. She told Coinslot Review:“We are doing well with redemption and we saw some super kids’ rides at EAG. The weather is, of course, a key ingredient to our success, but as an operator you simply can’t beat being there yourself. For example, we don’t rely on one brand in particular when it comes to gifts and prizes - it’s down to clever purchasing.”

Burnham Pier’s future looks pretty bright at present as approval was recently granted for a retractable roof to be built over the courtyard later this year.

Louise Parkin concluded: “With the new roof we hope to increase the catering side dramatically. Project coach is working for the whole town.We hope to increase our coach stops by up to 300 per cent.This will keep our town centre thriving and counter the effects of the big stores and out of town shopping.We close Christmas Day only but the kiosk is seasonal which we hope will remain open with the new roof. With a vibrant town centre the whole town looks alive which is great for tourism.”

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2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

BINGOLAND LEISURE

Looking to US FEC for inspiration for a £1m refurbishment of his premises, Mablethorpe operator Russell Bolesworth has invested in larger-than-life equipment to offer the sort of eye-catching experience that can’t be recreated in the home.

Bigger is better n the Lincolnshire resort of Mablethorpe, Bingoland Leisure managing director Russell Bolesworth is thinking big, halfway through a £1m project to revamp and expand his arcade,The Mirage.

Inspired by the big, open-spaced interiors of US FECs, Bolesworth has upped floor space at his premises to a sizeable 3,800-square metres, installing a café/bar, full-size ten pin bowling lanes and a children’s soft play area to offer entertainment on a grand scale.

So when it came to investing in new redemption equipment for the new-look Mirage, it was only logical that he adopted a similarly largerthan-life approach, looking to bring in big, bold pieces that offer a unique proposition to players.

Bolesworth explained:“If it stands out from the rest, people will stop and look it,as they don’t see that kind of game anywhere else.”

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bigger and “more in your face” and catching the eye by presenting an experience that customers can’t get at home.

His acquisitions include Benchmark Games’ Monster Drop X-treme, instantly noticeable with its 14-feet height, and Bay Tek Games’ Connect 4, which Bolesworth thought was so impressive in appearance that it drew customers in from the street to come and investigate it further.

He adopted the same ethos with new kiddie rides, purchasing Memo Park’s Horse and Jumbo Interactive rides - near life-sized pieces that have become a photo-opportunity for many visitors.

Bolesworth also looked to the US for the current trend for fairground attraction-style machines like ICE’s Down The Clown and Milk Jug Toss.

“They recreate that carnival-type of He found that American-made redemp- atmosphere in your arcade, and it’s worktion machines fit the bill perfectly, being ing well with my customers,” he added.

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2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

marketperspectives BOURNE LEISURE

As susceptible to market trends as any other amusements operator, Bourne Leisure’s Kevin Scott said continued investment and an openminded approach had been key to the success of its arcades.

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Confidence running high at Bourne ith its captive audience of on-site guests, some might presume that Butlins’ coin-op offering is impervious to the general trends affecting the wider amusements market.

Not so,says Kevin Scott,head of arcades at Butlins operator Bourne Leisure. If the sun gives way to wind and rain, his players will react in exactly the same way as they would at any seaside resort.

“I am sure our revenue trends have mirrored other operators,” he told Coinslot Review.“The start to last season was poor due to the early Easter and impossible weather conditions, which has been well documented.”

“After the early season disappointment we gathered momentum and by peak we enjoyed some excellent trading.”

So it followed that, like many other seaside amusement operators around the UK, arcades at Butlins’ three resorts enjoyed a boom in business this Easter, setting the tone for the forthcoming season.

Scott commented: “Easter was extremely strong, partly because of the timing, partly because of the weather and undoubtedly underpinned by the investment in both our arcade areas (prize shops and AGCs) and equipment.

“Looking ahead, I am extremely confident in our ability to increase holiday guests and our owner base and I am confident that our strong relationship with our operating partners will ensure we deliver an incredible guest experience.”

Scott said Bourne had made a conscious effort to focus primarily on its family offering - quite logical given that it is Butlins’ target market.

It has reduced its portfolio of Category D gaming machines to make way for a more redemption prize-oriented offer, and has also revisited the video sector after finding there was still high demand for the genre at its resorts.

With Bourne’s investment in new coinop equipment as high as it ever was, Scott said the variety and quality of machines available this season had been the strongest he had seen for some time.

He commented:“I like the way manufacturers have ‘gone large’ on games. It is important for us to offer a leisure experience that can’t be replicated at home and the centre pieces such as Connect 4 and

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I like the way manufacturers have ‘gone large’ on games...it is important for us to offer a leisure experience that can’t be replicated at home.

Monster Drop X-treme capture the guests’ imagination.

“We have brought in two Lazer Frenzy laser mazes, which are an interesting departure from the standard arcade offering.”

While redemption has been as successful for Bourne as it has been for other operators, Scott was under no illusion that he had hit on the perfect formula.

He explained:“Redemption operating is a package and if you exclude any element of it then the results will suffer.

“We are all getting smarter in the way we present our prize shops, but I still believe there is a lot more we can do.

“It is retailing,and if we look at the retailing standards in the high street then we have some way to go.”

Scott said the key for progression was to keep an open mind:“There is still room for free thinking, as often operators will stick with a tried and tested formula and not explore other avenues.

“Instant reward form cranes or low value redemption is relatively well covered, but we need to explore ways of engaging customers and encouraging them to collect and save for greater benefit. Again, this is where we can learn from the high street.”

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2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

BEACHES

The nation’s bathing waters are posting record cleanliness results, amid warnings that low rainfall may have disguised the nation’s pollution problem.

Cleaning up our act

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he bathing water on UK beaches has been given a resounding clean bill of health by the Marine Conservation Society’s (MCS) annual Good Beach Guide. Out of the 734 beaches tested as part of the survey, 538 are considered to have excellent water quality, an increase of 135 over the previous year.

The guide lists the results of tests carried out during the previous summer. Figures for 2013 were a dramatic improvement over 2012, with only fourteen beaches failing to reach minimum water standards. In the North East and South East of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland there were no failures of any kind.

“It’s great news that we are able to recommend more beaches than ever for excellent water quality and it shows just how good British beaches can be,” said Rachel Wyatt, MCS coastal pollution officer. “The main challenge now is maintaining these standards, whatever the weather.”

However, the MCS has warned that the sharp upturn in clean beaches may be due to last year’s dry weather. 2013 was the dry rest summer for ten years, with decreased rainfall meaning that sewage was discharged into the sea less frequently and pollution from agricultural run-off was less prevalent.

“Most people don’t realise what a big impact the weather can have on bathing water quality, but this has really been highlighted in the last few years,” said Wyatt. “2008, 2009 and 2012 were, according to the Met Office, amongst the wettest summers on record since 1910, and fewer UK bathing waters met minimum and higher water quality standards because of increased pollution running off rural and urban areas and overloaded sewers.”

Water companies, environmental regulators and local councils will be under pressure to maintain 2013’s high standards as the EU Bathing Water Directive comes into effect during 2015.By the end of that year all beaches must meet the new ‘sufficient’ standard, that is estimated to be twice as stringent as the MCS’s current low bar. Beaches that fail to satisfy the updated criteria will be legally required to display signs warning against entering the water from the start of the bathing season in 2016.

CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

13

2367supp-p14-17-comment_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:05 Page 1

2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

comment NATIONAL PIERS SOCIETY

Anthony Wills of the National Piers Society reviews the highs and lows of the last 12 months for piers on the UK’s coastline.

14

CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

The year in piers

T

he weather played a dominant role in the nation’s fortunes over the last twelve months, and piers were no exception. A hot summer (excellent for business) was followed by the stormiest winter on record, causing devastating damage to Cromer and Blackpool North piers in particular: ironically, these structures house two of the five remaining pier theatres in the country.

Elsewhere, the storms just about did it for the skeleton that is the West pier at Brighton, due to be replaced - at the astronomical cost of £46.2m - by a 574ft tall iTower, and the beleaguered Birnbeck pier at Weston-Super-Mare, Britain’s most threatened pier, saw its north jetty damaged and twisted beyond repair.What was surprising, however, was that the majority of piers survived intact, surely a tribute to their Victorian designers and engineers.

Meanwhile, councillors at Colwyn Bay voted to demolish the town’s 114-year old pier,though the long-running running dispute over who actually owns it rumbled on. Southsea South Parade was closed by the local authority on safety grounds, though there were rumours that a buyer was in the wings. Cleethorpes and Paignton did actually change hands.

There was plenty of good news in other parts of the country.The Friends of Herne Bay pier, who staged a lively, summer programme of events on the stub of what was once the UK’s third longest,were awarded a 20-year lease. Nearby Southend welcomed its highest number of visitors since 2005, largely due to the splendid Cultural Centre (now known as the Royal Pavilion) at the pier head. Along the South Coast both Bognor Regis and Worthing reopened previously derelict pavilions.

Hastings, which had been awarded a record-breaking £11.5m by the Heritage Lottery Fund, pushed ahead with its restoration plans, and work on replacing the decking began in March.

In Wales, Mumbles unveiled its new lifeboat house, the landing stage at Llandudno was restored after eight years, and the transformation of the run-down 1920s pavilion at Penarth was wonderfully completed, earning it the ultimate accolade of Pier Of The Year 2014. Among its many other facilities Penarth now boasts the only full-time pier cinema. It’s sad therefore that its landing stage will no longer be graced by visits from MV Balmoral, which will not be in operation this summer: a short autumn programme by PS Waverley is small compensation.

LANDMARKS DOUBLE CENTURY FOR BRITAIN’S OLDEST PIER

2014 is a landmark year for piers as it marks the 200th anniversary of the opening of the first one at Ryde, Isle of Wight, in July 1814. The National Piers Society will be organising a full programme of events on the island during its AGM weekend, culminating in the launch of a new book, British Seaside Piers, written by Anthony Wills and published by English Heritage. This 280-page comprehensive and fully illustrated guide can be purchased from NPS Publications.

2367supp-p14-17-comment_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:08 Page 2

2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

Fun for all the family PERSPECTIVE Alex Lee Seaside operators, hardened to the ever more demanding needs of the holidaymaking family, are gearing up for another summer season which, weather permitting, could be a corker.

W

hen the Gambling Act 2005 finally rumbled into motion in 2007, its most devastating effect was to effectively kill off a number of coastal operations in the UK. In the seven years since then, however, the survivors have shown that they can adapt as efficiently as anyone in order to make their offer as compelling now as it was in coin-op’s heyday.

With the latest wisdom from both the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee and the CBI showing that UK economic growth is a reality, along with tourist leaders confirming that the ‘staycation’ trend looks likely to continue, the conditions are looking conducive for a high-spending summer.

In the coastal amusement sector, the shift from straightforward arcade operation to a more retail-driven business model is a reality and this has been borne out by increasing numbers of operators looking more at redemption and prize every time vending to complement the traditional fare of video games, low-stake fruit machines, pushers and novelty.To this end, the importance of getting the right plush and gift lines in has risen in recent years as well as the overall sentiment that families must receive something tangible in return for spending time and money in the arcade or FEC. Encouraging economic conditions notwithstanding, the business landscape for the coin-op sector is far from perfect, as evidenced by a major distributor going into voluntary administration less than a month ago. With that in mind, however, it has been encouraging to see that several high-profile seaside arcades have publicly invested a lot of cash on improvements, whether it is an after-effect of the devastating floods which hit the country during the winter or simply as a realisation that arcade operation must move with the times - both in terms of premises and machine content.

Inevitably, new business strategies and more innovative approaches to customer service will need to be embraced, but the UK’s coastal operators are sufficiently savvy and experienced to know that it’s no longer enough to open up, shove the boxer machine outside and expect families to pile in and zealously spend their hard-earned.

The bottom line is that the coastal crew that have reacted to the changing needs, wants and expectations of the modern ‘staycationing’ family have put themselves in pole position to fill up their cashboxes.

While this more family-oriented approach looks to be the way forward, an arcade floor full of gleaming, fun and functional equipment is the obvious starting point.

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email: sales@whittakers.co.uk web: www.whittakers.co.uk CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

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2367supp-p14-17-comment_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:08 Page 3

2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

comment PRAESPE

Praesepe CEO Nick Harding has called for dialogue on the seaside, between operators and their local communities and BACTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new chief executive with his coastal members.

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CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

Harding calls for co-operation C

oinslot: How many venues do you operate at the coast and what are the nuances of operating in seaside communities?

Nick Harding:We currently operate five FECs.Things have changed a lot over the years.When I was young and working for Michael Thomas in Hunstanton, although we opened every weekend, our main business was from Whitsun to September.

These days even a wet Sunday afternoon in January can be quite busy, which is great. I think the other point is that there is a lot of emphasis on 'community' and everywhere we operate we encourage our local managers to get involved in local initiatives, parades, carnivals and other types of charity fund raising.

the council didn't want to support us after we had reopened a facility that had been closed for a number of years and in so doing created ten full time jobs. We did however accept their position and are working hard to work with the council on other initiatives for our arcade and bingo business in Margate.

them.

CS: What is the dynamic between BACTA and BALPPA - is there a case to merge the two organisations?

NH: Many Division One members are also members of BALPPA, but there are also many members of BALPPA who aren't members of BACTA.As such I am sceptiCS: Is there a seaside lobby in Parliament cal that a full merger would be appropriate, but I would advocate more regular and if so how effective is it and if not dialogue between the two secretariats in would you like to see one?

NH: In past years BACTA has had a strong order to ensure that lobbying work is not seaside lobby. I think that BACTA should duplicated and also that where synergies work to re-establish this initiative and exist they are exploited fully.These may where necessary recruit new seaside MPs be practical, philosophical or both. to help us.

CS: What is your favourite seaside resort and will you be part of the 'Staycation' CS: What advice will you be giving movement this summer? incoming BACTA Chief Executive John CS: You had a famous run-in with Margate Council over a giant inflated promo- White about issues at the coast?

NH: I am bound to say Hunstanton, partictional Gorilla: how was that resolved and NH: Given John's previous experience ularly as my mum still lives there, but I do you think local authorities do suffiwith BACTA I think the only advice I shall won't be part of the 'Staycation' as we are cient to support companies that invest in give him is to quickly organise a tour of off to Calgary for the 'Stampede' rodeo, seaside economies? the key coastal areas, meet the local oper- and yes I do realise that by saying that I am NH:It was resolved by us losing our appeal ators and listen to what they have to say. playing right into the hands of anyone and having to take down 'Marvin the Mar- John will be able to work out what the who wants to suggest that I have always gate Monkey'. I am still disappointed that issues are and in what order to address been a cowboy!

2367supp-p14-17-comment_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:09 Page 4

2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

JNC SALES TEL: 0117 9382552

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Family, family, familyâ&#x20AC;? SEASIDE SCORCHERS for BACTA Division 1 KLOBBER THE ROBBER

BACTA BACTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Division 1 chairman is seeing his operations rebound from an unlucky start to 2014, as the industry as a whole grows despite considerable challenges.

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R

yan Davies, Division 1 chairman for BACTA and operator of Enterprise Amusements on the Paignton coast, is reporting mixed results for the start of 2014. Daviesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; fortunes were hit by train line closures that affected many operators in the area. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The whole country seemed to think that the South West is closed for business,â&#x20AC;? he said.

However, with the reopening of the line and the bank holiday weekend, things are looking up.â&#x20AC;&#x153;The weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s have been good,â&#x20AC;? said Davies.â&#x20AC;&#x153;This last bank holiday the empties look healthy and Easter was very very busy, there was a lot about.â&#x20AC;?

Taking the temperature of BACTA members from across the country, Davies is hearing positive noises about seaside performance.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Operators have seen a slight upturn in the last couple of months. People seem to be coming out, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just the over 18s where weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re all suffering.â&#x20AC;? Stymied by online gambling and bookmakers, the AGC offerings on the coast is being eclipsed by family-friendly offerings such as redemption and pushers.

This is due in part to the disappointment BACTAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s members faced at the Triennial Review.â&#x20AC;&#x153;We were obviously hoping we were going to get an increase to Cat D, which hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happened,â&#x20AC;? said Davies, and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always up against social responsibility, which weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re proving that we are doing. It hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t gone up with inflation, for as long as I can remember itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been ÂŁ5 jackpot.

Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not a problem with kids gambling, so we canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand why theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not listening to us.â&#x20AC;?

However, as the over 18 market dwindles, the family sector continues to grow. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The moneyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s there,â&#x20AC;? said Davies,â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve now got to make more money out of the family, because weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making less out of the AGC.â&#x20AC;?

He would advise members of his Division 1 section to invest more into family-friendly machines as their profile continues to grow.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Make your family offering bigger,â&#x20AC;? Davies said,â&#x20AC;&#x153;and maybe start shrinking your AGC.Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got to put more machines in that are taking the money and at the moment itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the family side. Our redemptionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very strong and he pushers with the tickets on are very very good, so at the moment for me, my advice is itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;family, family, familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;.â&#x20AC;?

The coastal sector also faces challenges with erroneous national advice.â&#x20AC;&#x153;What I find, and it happens all the time, is that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re always getting the weather wrong,â&#x20AC;? said Davies.â&#x20AC;&#x153;They say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;this weekendâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be terrible,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; so no one comes. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sure they do it just to keep people off the roads and keep the motorway running. I really do, because they do it every bank holiday and then itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s glorious sunshine.Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not specific to the gambling industry, but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t help at all.â&#x20AC;?

Ultimately, says Davies,â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s our livelihood,â&#x20AC;? and the industry must always be looking for the next big thing.â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think people are always going to come to the coast, so I think weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll always be here,â&#x20AC;?said Davies. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Some arcades might go, some might pop up again, but weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve must make sure that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got new stuff coming through, including new machines.â&#x20AC;?

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CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

17

2367supp-p20-21-politics_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:11 Page 1

2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

politics KEYNOTE

BACTA president Steve Hawkins explains why the seaside amusement industry continues to plays a vital role in the UK economy.

Coastal sector sits high on BACTA’s list of priorities

C

oinslot: How would you summarise the UK’s coastal amusements and gaming sector in 2014?

Steve Hawkins:We have definitely seen a slight upturn in trading conditions in recent months and we need to ensure that this improvement is maintained.However, we would like to see the government reconsider their decision not to throw a lifeline to struggling traditional seaside businesses and the families they represent.

The triennial increase largely only reflects inflation and we recognise the need to demonstrate enhanced social responsibility. However, the gambling regulator has failed to recognise both the harmless nature of these games and our specific offer to work with them to demonstrate our commitment to responsible play.As an industry we are proud of our commitment to social responsibility,

customer protection and supporting the community through national charities, such as Rays of Sunshine.

Cs: How high up the list of BACTA’s priorities is the coastal amusements sector in 2014?

SH:The family amusement sector is one of BACTA’s main priorities.We have recently been working with British Destinations to produce a report that will make the case for the need for the government to focus more resource on coastal economies and we hope this will be published in June 2014.The seaside offer is critical in aiding government to justify their assisting the amusement industry, and that our continued investment in our sites demonstrates quality and responsibility.

Cs: What has BACTA been doing over recent months to help benefit its members on the coast?

SH:The survival of the seaside amusement industry is vital.The challenge now is to ensure that the industry delivers its full potential in the coming years, and to find new innovations for the towns that have been losing business. It is essential that members at the seaside actively lobby their MPs in their constituencies and BACTA is always updating briefing notes to assist members.

Cs: In addition to the industry-wide issues that BACTA continues to address, individual coastal businesses are often affected by a multitude of local issues.

Does BACTA help its members with these matters?

SH: BACTA has a broad cross-section of issues that constantly need to be addressed. The ways in which the age of austerity has impacted on the UK seaside tourist industry are far from clear. However, lower incomes mean that households have less to spend on discretionary activities, such as in seaside arcades.

Having said that, BACTA has helped a number of members with variations to operating licences to help with diversification.

BACTA’s in-house compliance team are also an essential benefit to members in ensuring that sites remain crime free and that they are fully compliant with the licensing objectives.

Image: Steve Hawkins; BACTA; on file

20

CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

...the survival of the seaside amusement industry is vital. The challenge now is to ensure that the industry delivers its full potential...

2367supp-p20-21-politics_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:12 Page 2

2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

SPECIAL ‘Staycation’ factor SEASIDE FROM CONCEPT GAMES TICKET KITS is still in force TRADE ASSOCIATIONS Favourable weather has resulted in a positive start to the year for the UK’s out-of-home leisure industry, according to Paul Kelly, chief executive of the British Association of Leisure Parks, Piers and Attractions (BALPPA).

C

oinslot: How would you sum up the UK out-of-home leisure industry in 2014? Are trading conditions improving?

Paul Kelly: I think everyone is nervously optimistic about trading for 2014. It has been a good start to the year for the external attractions, as the good weather has fallen at the right times.

Cs: How is the leisure industry faring on the coast? Does the sector continue to benefit from the ‘staycation’ trend?

PK:The coastal attractions have benefited from the good weather,and it appears that staycation factor is still in force. It is very difficult to know yet if this is a trend for the year or just a good start due to the weather.

Cs: What has BALPPA been doing to help benefit its members this year?

PK: BALPPA has had a very busy political diary from the start of this year leading on issues such as zero hour contracts which are crucial to our businesses, also protecting Summer holidays from being reduced to just four weeks in August.These issues and attempting to cutVAT on visitor attractions all have an important impact on BALPPA members.

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ABOUT BALPPA BALPPA is a non-profit trade association that represents the interests of owners, managers, suppliers and developers in the UK’s commercial leisure parks, piers, zoos and static attractions sector. The group speaks for over 300 members - including iconic attractions such as the London Eye, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, Madame Tussauds, Alton Towers and Thorpe Park - and ultimately for many millions of customers every year.

Cs: How does your relationship with other trade associations serve to benefit all members?

PK: In today’s world, a lot of businesses have many different sides to them.This is very true is the attractions industry,which means that we share members with a lot of others associations.We work well with all associations to benefits the members, and this is very true of BACTA, with whom we have a longstanding relationship.

Other associations include the BHA,ALVA and NFAN, to name but a few.

CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

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2367supp-p22-23-Market Analysis_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:12 Page 1

2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

marketanalysis LICENSING

After an impressive Easter weekend, Whitehouse Leisure are positive about the prospects of a strong summer on the seaside and beyond.

W

KIDDIE RIDES

Seaside soaring says Sidoli

Paolo Sidoli is adamant that the seaside is on the rise, as UK families ditch retail therapy in favour of old fashioned coastal entertainment.

22

Easter builds Whitehouse confidence

CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

hitehouse Leisure are heading into summer off the back of a remarkably buoyant Easter period,with the company’s customers on the seaside and beyond reporting strong performances during the holiday weekend.

“It was a fantastic Easter in terms of sales for us,” said business development executive, IanWhittingham.“Initial feedback from customers is that they had a good time and the weather was good.Particularly in the North, although the South had a little bit of rain.”

Good weather is a vital component of a strong seaside sector, but attractive products can go a long way to mitigating the damage.“The weather ultimately plays a role,” said Whittingham,“ and we supply inland arcades, seaside arcades, theme parks.However,a lot of the theme parks and the seaside have outdoor games and the response we’ve received has just been fantastic. I don’t think anybody’s really reported back saying they’ve had a poor Easter, no matter where they’ve been.”

This product line is largely led by Whitehouse’s range of prizes based on the Despi-

B Machine’s Paolo Sidoli is passionate in his belief that holidaymakers are showing an rejuvenated interest in spending their leisure time at the seaside. “The seaside still is a popular attraction to families across the UK,” he said, “they love going to the seaside.” His company’s kiddie rides feature in different environments across the country, but the era of family trips to large retail centres are dwindling, Sidoli suggests.

“Families have had enough of retail therapy, of soulless shopping centres, and shopping malls,” he said. “People love the coast and they bring their families, as it represents excellent value for money.” SB Machines buy into this ethos, only charging a small fee for each ride. “With

S

have been amazing,”said Whittingham.“Figures they’ve quoted have been just as good as anything reported last year and it’s actually forced into us running out of stock.

We’re just waiting for the next batch to come in.We’ve had a tremendous response and great feedback and it’s just a fantastic feeling to have.”

The importance of securing licensed products to tempt in the key family market cannot be understated.“Licences are very important because it’s brands which are recognisable on the high street and people have a lot of trust in what they recognise,” said Whittingham. “It’s the brands that the families recognise and trust and it’s the perceived value of these cable Me movie franchise.“Despicable Me brands, because they recognise how was our biggest line last year by far and it’s much it would cost in the shop.”

Ultimately, it comes down to supply just carried on,” said Whittingham.“We’ve got some new skews - costumes, minions, and demand, with arcade owners feeding purple minions and the Gru family - that back to Whitehouse that their customers enjoy winning licensed prizes.“Obviously have come in and gone straight out.”

The results these toys have posted over our operators are normally led by their Easter suggest that they will the standout customers,” added Whittingham, “and I performers on the seaside this summer. would say 70 per cent of our sales are now “Reports we’ve had back from customers branded goods.”

our rides we don’t ask a lot of money to play. It is what we call the ‘very disposable income’ and families appreciate that.”

All of this plays into his optimism for the coastal sector.

“What we’ve seen is it is actually becoming more popular,” said Sidoli. “The seaside has become much more popular and we have to be ready for this upturn, which is definitely happening. Over the past years, they’re sick to death of going to shopping malls, they want to go for nice walks along the coastline.”

Those visiting the seaside this year will be greeted by many rides bearing the likenesses of well-known characters from film and television. “Licences are important because the char-

acters do have an immediate appeal on children who watch television,” said Sidoli.

“However, we’ve got to understand that rides in the UK do not solely depend on licensed characters. You have to have a good balance, that’s what’s important.”

Rides based on popular modes of transport of animals remain very popular with UK families and make up the bulk of SB Machines’ sales. “The balance of licensed character rides and generic rides is important,” said Sidoli. “We do both and, even though the majority of our sales are generic rides, licensed provide a fundamental share of that as well.”

On the generic front, the company has particularly high hopes for a range of twin

machines which have been testing well in early 2014. “The machines that have been site tested for several months,” said Sidoli. “The Double Pony Express, the Twin Motorbikes and the Twin Racing Cars have been performing exceptionally well on all sites in all locations, across all parts of the country.”

Ultimately, however, the success of both kiddie rides and the seaside sector does rely on the weather. “It’s everything,” said Sidoli. Noting that only a good indoor environment will go some way to mitigating the damage.

“Unfortunately it’s not something we can control as a kiddie ride operator,” he said.

“I can provide the equipment to put indoors, but it’s indoor facilities that are required.”

2367supp-p22-23-Market Analysis_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:13 Page 2

2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

Big names bolster Sega strategy FAMILY ENTERTAINMENT Segaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s range of summer seaside products have been carefully secured to entertain families of all ages with some well known licensed characters.

ega Amusements is looking to nail the family market during the summer seaside rush,with a range of games that will appeal to young people of all ages. Among the games with the broadest appeal are a selection of redemption titles. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very much the prominent strand of the seaside, alongside pushers and cranes,â&#x20AC;? said general manager, Justin Burke. â&#x20AC;&#x153;At EAG we launched Down the Clown by Ice, which follows on from Milk Jug Toss last year, and those two in particular have hit the nail right on the head,â&#x20AC;? said Burke.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re kind of old fashioned, carnival, fun fair games brought up to the modern day and the results have been out of this world.â&#x20AC;?The theme of old fashioned fun chimes nicely with the ethos of a seaside vacation.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Easterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s come and gone and weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re happy.Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re still selling, still going out and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a complete success story really.â&#x20AC;?

A new licensed game based on the Plants vs. Zombies franchise has recently hit the market, aimed at preteens and young teenagers.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recognisable through the downloadable app,â&#x20AC;? said Burke,â&#x20AC;&#x153;and you see kids on site recognise it instantly, so thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a hit.â&#x20AC;?

Older kids will appreciate the wildly successful Transformers video game that has been performing excellently worldwide.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Transformers is the number one video across America and itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doing the same here in the UK and across Europe,â&#x20AC;? said Burke.

These games have built into a varied offering which caters to kids of all ages and sales from early 2014 appear to vindicate this strategy.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re very lucky to have got thee big hits,â&#x20AC;? said Burke. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the redemption hits with the Ice products and Plants vs Zombies is just turning over like you wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe. So weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got hits on our hands left right and centre.â&#x20AC;?

Despite these new products performing well, Burke is cautious about placing too much emphases on innovation, in a seaside market built on old fashioned entertainment.â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such a traditional section of the market,you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need to be too technological or too clever,â&#x20AC;?he said.â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is about old fashioned family fun, so what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got this year is spot on. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not saying that technology canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exist in that territory or shouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t, but it doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t necessarily need to, because they are young families and they want simple games, interactive games and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got.â&#x20AC;?

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2367supp-p24-25-business_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:08 Page 1

2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

business PRODUCT HIGHLIGHTS

Increased interest in the seaside has made the market more competitive for arcades, but RLMS believes it has the portfolio to help operators compete.

LICENSING

Top tier licences are required to attract players in the competitive coastal market, says PMS senior sales executive, Ian Mottershead.

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CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

RLMS expects competitive summer ith the Easter trade on the seaside providing a barometer for summer fortunes, RLMS sales director, Tony Glanville, believes that signs are positive for the year ahead.“From the feedback the sales team has received the first major bank holiday of the year went well,” he said.“Easter fell later than in the last few years and as a result we were blessed with fairly good weather, combined with warmer temperatures. These factors generated the all-important footfall and the feedback from venue operators

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was that they had a good level of visitors.”

Confidence in the machines it supplies has also put RLMS in an optimistic state of mind.“We have some fantastic multi players in the portfolio this year,”said Glanville.

“Namely the two classics from Astra, which utilise the iconic brands of Party Time and Bullion Bars.We know these will perform well as we tested both products last year to ensure they were right for 2014.”

Operators at the seaside are required to entertain visitors from a broad variety of demographics and, for that reason, RLMS is keen to emphasise the range of its product offering.“Outside of gaming, Skill Ball Zingy is now in its third season within our portfolio and continues to be a must have for any arcade,” said Glanville.

“Supernova Games is also introducing

Return to Pharaohs Gold into the market for this season.This brings an industry classic bang up to date utilising the latest technology. It is a visually attractive piece and is a great fun game that engages player to want to return and play the game again and again.”

Chief among the summer seaside tourists are families, and competition to attract them has upped the ante for longstanding traditional arcades. “We have seen over time resorts invest in a wider range of facilities and attractions to offer a more rounded experience rather than just a beach, arcade and fish and chip shop,” said Glanville. “The wider offering will drive footfall and it is down the arcades to make their premises appealing for visitors to walk off the street and enjoy the amusement offering.”

PMS banking on quality ttracting the all-important family market into your arcade is one thing, but keeping them there is another.

It is not enough to pro vide flashy machines that catch the eye, if redemption counters and crane machines are not stocked with top quality prizes, visitors will not be motivated to play.

“This is very important,” said PMS International’s senior sales executive, Ian Mottershead.“If you do not have the right offering,” he said, “then people will just walk straight in and out of the place.”

Among the most attractive prizes for kids and adults are those based on well known properties from TV, film and video games.The latter is providing PMS with one of its most popular ranges to date.“We anticipate that the Skylander range will give great results,” said Mottershead. Based on the home console video game series, the Skylanders are a troupe of collectable plastic figures that can be transported into the game by way of a NFC reader.The games have proved extremely popular since their initial release in 2011 and its cast of colourful monsters offer by PMS are designed to stand out in an arcade setting. Ian predicts that a number of other ranges will prove popular during the summer, including,“Forever Friends Animal Planet and Mister Maker, amongst others.”

Stocking machines with these kinds of prizes is an impor-

A

tant factor when it comes to convincing customers that games are good value for money.“This is an important factor as in general, as customers want the playability factor as well as the fun factor,” said Mottershead. However, it’s important that the machines and redemption counters themselves are fair. If parents see kids turning in reams of tickets for little reward they are unlikely to let their kids spend freely in the arcade.“As well as getting value for their money, if people do not see winners then they are put off from playing,” notes Mottershead.

2367supp-p24-25-business_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 18:09 Page 2

2014 SEASIDE AMUSEMENTS SECTOR

Namco tips video for seaside surge VIDEO Video games are en route to a seaside triumphant , according to Namco and Brent Sales commercial director, John Brennan.

olidaymakers heading to the seaside have traditionally been on the look-out for old fashioned enjoyment, whether that be the simple pleasures of a sandy beach or the thrill of a coastal arcade. However, amusement giant Namco believes that games at the apex of modern technology will be leading the charge at this year’s seaside resorts.

“Video games are making a serious reentrance to the coastal resorts,” said commercial director, John Brennan.

“Mario Kart, Dead Heat Riders and Deadstorm Pirates Special Edition are stimulating players and cash box earnings alike, and Batman from Raw Thrills presents a great looking experience for players.”

The heyday of video titles is long past and many in the industry consider them an unpopular and expensive investment, but Namco are looking to buck the trend and reignite interest in video arcade titles.

This plan includes games that cover the gamut of age ranges attending the seaside this summer. “Family entertainment is foremost in our thinking for games and amusement pieces,” said Brennan. “Families from youngsters to grandparents are catered to within our current range.”

This renewed interest in video titles has been motivated by the continual technological innovation carried out by Namco.

“We are advocates of online games,” said Brennan. “This is seen currently in effect with Mario Kart, analysing player selections in order to produce upgrades that are certain to maintain the highest level of player use.”

Brennan believes that these games, “ensure high levels of performance and limit the need for immediate replenishment of games, so as is evident with games from elsewhere, this proves that new technology can be utilised for the benefit of all sectors of the industry.”

Namco is not resting on it’s laurels, with “many new approaches in the planning and almost completed stage,” according to Brennan. Evidence, if any was needed, that the company is keen to trumpet the power and potential of modern amusement machines in the seaside market.

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2367supp-p26-34-prods&services_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:03 Page 1

2014 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

distributors JNC seaside stand outs

JNC SALES

With a packed summer at the seaside ahead, JNC is offering two eye-catching machines that won’t be lost among the heaving crowds.

BANDAI NAMCO Visitors to the seaside this summer are unlikely to miss one of the many video and redemption machines on offer from Bandai Namco.

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he reasons being Clockwork Oranges pushers’ success is easy to understand.The eye-catching graphics make them stand out in any location t o ge t h e r with

the fantastic attract sound, so customers will really struggle to miss the machine. It has the low, fast feed coin entry which makes it attractive to all ages, including younger kids.The main reason, however, is theAccumulating JackpotTicket feature, which allows the player to win a large amount of tickets if they get lucky.

Both the straight and the round Clockwork Oranges pushers are firm fixtures in the country’s best arcades, with repeat orders from customers a sure-fire sign that they are taking good money.With only a few straights now remaining, and the next order of rounds due in the first week of July, prospective customers are advised to place pre-orders in order to secure a machine for this season.

Another popular product for the seaside sector is Power Storm.

This simulator has created a lot of excitement following its release by JNC at EAG 2014.With the choice of four different rides with sensational graphics,this twin player provides a game

that is unique and is a definite draw-card for any location. On the back of very positive test figures at the end of last year, together with some modifications, this machine is ready to be one of the games of 2014. With the initial order being snapped up,the second order will be arriving in June with pre-orders already made.

“In general, JNC is seeing a buzz from seaside customers that hasn’t been seen for many years, which is fantastic for the industry,” said finance director, John Jennings. “We are bringing a lot of great quality products to our customers and they are seeing the benefits of this in the cash box takings.The quality of the used equipment is continuing to improve and with our flexibility regarding part exchanges and payment terms, we consider that we are the leader in putting together the right deal for our customers.At JNC there is the whole range of products available including video, pushers, cranes, redemption, kiddie rides and AWP machines.Please call Gary, Dave, Reece or Brian and they will be happy to help you.”

Video and redemption strong for Bandai Namco

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easide operators need look no further than Bandai Namco Amusement Europe Ltd for the most comprehensive range of video and redemption machines from one company to be found anywhere in the industry.

The current range of hit video titles includes the incredible Mach Storm shooter and flying simulator with innovative domed screen. Dead Heat riders is racing towards must have status and is accompanied at the top by Alpine Racer the massively popular ski simulator with a huge 55 inch screen, offering tremendous gameplay and great cash box ratings.

Leading titles from Raw Thrills available exclusively in Europe through Bandai Namco include Batman, which is housed in an impressive ‘Batmobile’ style cabinet, crowned with a dominating Batman logo.

Players can choose which crime boss to battle, from Mr. Freeze, Bane in one of ten

CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

Batman cars, ranging from Adam West’s original car from the 60’s TV show right the way through to Christian Bale’s armoured tank in The Dark Knight Rises.

Aliens Armageddon is a new shooting game in 55 inch DX and 42 inch standard cabinets. Based on the cult film franchise, players are tasked with saving the world from an alien invasion. The game contains four chapters of intense fast-moving, actionpacked gameplay with realistic force-feedback guns with clip reload and alternate fire button.

Many of the new redemption games from the company are underpinned by the new Pac-Man character from the TV show PacMan and the Ghostly Adventures. These include the four-player Pac-Man Swirl, PacMan Basket, Pac-Man Smash, Pac-Man Ticket Mania and Pac-Man Bowling, while Goal Line Rush has touched down impressively in many locations throughout the UK

and Ireland, joining Triple Turn and Crazy typhoon as a staple for redemption areas.

From Raw Thrills comes the innovative Barrel of Monkeys, a video redemption title based on the classic game by Hasbro, where players must link the monkeys together.

Bandai Namco Amusement Europe is also the distributor for the unique redemption game Snow Down from Jennison, where players compete to collect the most snow.

“We have a winning combination of industry experience - especially of the seaside sector - that informs our research and development and the choice of games that we distribute with our strategic partners,” says Bandai Namco’s John Crompton. “We understand what will work on site and can provide our customers with honest advice based on our in-depth product knowledge and wide range of machines and related equipment including our exciting prize range.”

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2014 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

SEGA AMUSEMENTS EUROPE

With the new games released at EAG making a splash during the Easter holidays, Sega are confident of a successful summer on the coast.

RLMS SALES

Skill games have a major part to play in the summer of fun at the seaside, according to RLMS Sales, alongside popular redemption and gaming machines.

Sun, sea and Sega S

ega Amusements Europe is ready to supply the needs of the Great British seaside following an aggressive launch of key products at this year’s EAG. The company boasts its most diverse range of products to date, covering all genres of product and not just video, but redemption, novelty, prize, sports, simulators, shooting galleries and cranes make up the dominant part of the companies range for the season - all ideal products for the coastal business.

The company has established a strong foothold on the redemption scene this year with Down The Clown.

“This game follows on from last year’s big hit Milk Jug Toss and in the same carnival themed cabinet appeals to the family audience in a heartbeat,” said Sega’s Justin Burke.“This is old fashioned family fun at its finest.These carnival type games have stood the test of time and, with the

latest incarnation from Ice on offer, will be a wise investment that will keep on paying back for years to come.”

The latest edition to this genre that has just hit the shores at Easter is Whack N Win, a skill orientated version of the classic ‘Striker’ type game. In either 9 or 11 foot versions this piece is a sure fire choice for any location to looking to bolster its appeal and return on investment.

For real seaside flavour, Sega offers Harpoon Lagoon with its impressive ‘shark marquee’.This four player family game is fun, interactive and with its low cabinet design can appeal to all ages.“For us it’s a proven success in 2013, and has just got stronger this year already with more operators realising its worth” says Burke.

Taking a different angle, Sega is well stocked with brand recognition this year.

Staying on the redemption theme is Plants vs Zombie, a video redemption game featuring a new twist on the massively popular brand that has instant kids

recognition. Burke noted that,“I’ve seen test results where it out performing Big Bass Wheel, which is incredible in itself, let alone for a video redemption.”

The company’s other big brand for 2014 is Transformers, with the new film out in June, the 42 inch and 55 inch Theatre cabinets are hitting the spot.“We all know video is not what it used to be in terms of player appeal and return on investment, but Transformers has broken that trend,” said Burke.“Sega did it with GRID and we’ve done it again. No other manufacturer has managed that on video for quite some time. It’s the number one video across the USA and for good reason.”

Burke conclude that,“this year more than ever our range is huge and diverse.

We have got something for everyone, working with the best brands in the business operators can buy in confidence from Sega.Whether its redemption, novelty, prize merchandisers or video – we’ve got it all.”

RLMS presents seaside SWP

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upernova have carved a niche in the non-gaming market with their range of SWP products and although redemption is unquestionably a strong market at the seaside, players still like to pit their skills against a game that offers a cash reward. Supernova’s Skill Ball Zingy and, new for 2014 the Return to Pharaohs Gold, both offer this attraction.

Skill Ball Zingy is a well established product that is enjoying its third successful season. The vast majority of coastal venues have a Skill Ball Zingy sited and RMLS continues to sell the product to operators, who have established that they have sufficient demand to warrant more than one unit per site. Operators have found that by placing more than one unit together they benefit from the greater visual appeal of having machines banked together, making for a stunning feature within the venue.

Return to Pharaohs Gold is another great product, introducing a skill element

into the game with the addition of a cross bow that the player uses to shoot virtual arrows at coins and bank notes that spin in and out of view on the screen.

The player who has accumulated the values and at the end of the game has a one shot opportunity to win the accumulated pot or the jackpot at an impressive £50. It is a great product, housed in an impressive cabinet, utilising great visuals and sounds to offer something different for the operators to introduce into their product mix for the season.

Operators are retailers and they need a product offering that is wider than just gaming and redemption. Skill games offer an extra proven dimension to the operators portfolio and Supernova has proved that they are the masters of delivering top performing games in this sector. Operators are advised to call the team at RLMS in order to fully understand the benefits that the Supernova range of products can bring to their establishment.

CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

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2367supp-p26-34-prods&services_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:04 Page 3

2014 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

distributors CROWN DIRECT

kiddie rides

Merry Go Round bucking pusher trends

A brand new round pusher from Harry Levy is proving just as popular as its straight competitors, challenging perceptions about customer preferences.

Kiddy Rides boasts TV stars

The prodigiously successful Peppa Pig products from Kiddy Rides are being joined this summer by a new license, into form of TV and book property, Poppy Cat.

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or the last three years Crown has dominated sales in the pushers market, in conjunction with Harry Levy. Since Rainbow Riches in 2011, when a wider deck was introduced, coupled with a redemption ticket feature, pushers have taken another step forward with their earning capacity.

Building on this success with Rock N Reels and Sweet Falls, Crown Direct is now introducing Merry Go Round to the market place.

Using the principles and innovations developed by the aforementioned games, Merry Go Round is the first

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NORTHERN LEISURE

CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

round six deck pusher with ticket feature. Combined with a fantastic fair ground carousel theme and look, Merry Go Round will continue the success in the market sector.

Darren Chadwick, sales executive commented: “It’s still very early days for Merry Go Round, and as a general rule we sell more straight pushers than rounds, but I have already had repeat orders on the back of initial income figures.The reels feature used to deliver the redemption ticket bonus has proved very popular with players.”

iddy Rides, a trading division of Northern Leisure Group, are the UK's leading independent manufacturer, operator and supplier of children’s coin operated rides since 1986. Offering a whole range of services for any make or model of ride, from any manufacturer, Kiddy Rides are the one stop solution for all your kiddie ride requirements.

The company has recently extended its very successful Peppa Pig range by adding two new carousels. The carousels feature colourful graphics with a selection of characters and vehicles from the award winning children’s pre-school brand. Both rides, a 2 seater carousel and a larger 3 seater model, are manufactured in gel coat to ensure long life and a high quality finish, giving it a clear advantage over alternative painted products. The 2 seater carousel features the family car and Grandpa's boat for the children to ride in. It has colourful graphics around the centre tower and three dimensional relief models of characters Peppa & George. The two Seater Peppa Pig Carousel will be ideal for those sites with limited space, with a diameter of only 1.22 metres, whilst the larger three seater carousel, 1.55 metres, will be ideal

for more spacious environments where the visual impact of the ride can be truely taken advantage of.

Like the 2 seater, the large carousel features the car and the boat, but has the additional seat in the theme of Peppa and George's Space Rocket. This version has a taller tower which is decorated in an eye catching display protected behind high quality perspex. Both rides feature flashing LED's along with voices and theme tunes from the show. The carousels have been designed to tie in with the brands 'Muddy Puddles' theme and celebrate Peppa Pig's 10th anniversary through 2014.

Kiddy Rides have also extending their licensed ride portfolio with the addition of Poppy Cat. The Poppy Cat ride incorporates the characters Poppy and Zhu Zhu seated towards the front of Poppy's colourful airplane as featured in the show. The ride also has a fully interactive feature allowing the rider to control the physical speed of the ride via the planes joystick.

All Northern Leisure's rides are manufactured in the UK using high quality gel coat and reliable, reputable components creating an experience for children which is safe, as well as fun.

2367supp-p26-34-prods&services_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:56 Page 4

2014 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

SB MACHINES

High quality Italian rides will be dotting the UK coast this summer courtesy of SB Machines and its Welshbased team of engineers and salespeople.

WORLD OF RIDES

With the UK weather still notoriously unpredicatable, World of Rides’ coin-operated battery rides offered the perfect way to keep customers on site, come wind, rain or shine.

SB Machines reaching for the wow factor F

or over 20 years, Porthcawl-based SB Machines has specialised in unique, high quality Italian rides.

This year is no exception, as SB Machines is building on the success of its twin rides, which have been highly successful over the last 12 months.

The new machines include Double Pony,Twin Motor Bikes and Twin Racing Cars, which were all new for EAG and feature nonlicensed, quality craftsmanship from Italy. Each machine fully conforms to ADIPS, is CE certified and has a 12 month warranty.

The attraction of twin rides for seaside operators is the fact that they offer double the earning opportunity

with separate coin slots and yet combined into one compact footprint.

“Kiddie rides are often the first machines that families see as they enter amusement arcades at the seaside, so it is essential that they have the ‘wow’ factor,”says Paolo Sidoli, managing director. “Italian rides are extremely well made and often feature something a little bit different to other rides on the market - such as an unusual movement or design. We say of our rides that they are designed to perform and built to last,” he adds.

“Customers will find that these rides are a great investment as they will work hard for years. We are also very careful to site test all our rides extensively so that we can offer the best advice to our customers as to how they will perform in different venues,” said Sidoli.

Reliability is of primary importance to the seaside sector as rides can come under intense usage during seasonal

peaks, such as Bank and school holidays.

“We know all our rides inside out, so even though they are designed in Italy, we can repair and refurbish them in our large workshops in Porthcawl and we carry a huge stock of spare parts,” says Paolo.

SB Machines has seen an upturn in business in 2014, which Paolo puts down to a number of factors.

“Last year we saw increased interest in our kiddie rides as operators replaced ageing equipment for more recent models that can command a minimum of £1 per play,” adds Paolo.“In addition, as kiddie rides do not fall under the Gambling Act, they are much easier to manage on an amusement estate and give consistent and excellent returns without too much upkeep. Coupled with a relatively weak Euro, which will keep prices extremely competitive, we see 2014 as being extremely positive in the UK and Irish kiddie ride sector.”

Get ready for ‘funderstorms’ this summer

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orld of Rides has already declared its absolute belief that despite the continuing financial recession, family fun is here to stay - and so have their many customers who have built one or more indoor tracks.

These were the same owners and operators who had bought their battery rides in order to keep their holiday visitors returning for more, again and again, despite the very wet UK weather.

World of Rides’ coin-operated and pollution-free ‘Parent & Child’ battery rides are now established as the most popular and profitable choice that have re-filled the void of needing more family attractions that

can be played together, due to their constant high earnings and the fastest return on investment in the entire children’s ride sector.

Exciting new models this year include the upgraded Formula One Racing Car Teams, Grand Prix Super Bike Racing Teams, as well as Off-Road Jeeps and the new larger sized Quad Bikes.

In addition, the exciting new HyperBattle Soft-Impact Bumper Cars and Bumper Boats have already emerged as top earners in 2013, with advance orders already outstripping those of last year.

New battery technology means that their larger capacity dry-batteries now last throughout a full working day, instead of needing to be changed every four hours.

They can also be safely recharged insitu overnight without them ever needing to be removed from the rides, using the plug-in, fully-automatic, four stage battery chargers supplied with every ride.

Battery rides always enjoy constant multi-use by children and their families, so their income levels are never dependant upon footfall alone, and neither are they weather dependant, as they can also be safely operated outdoors, on those rare days that the sun decides to shine.

They can be run on any hard level surface, and a number of models are also being extensively used to regenerate the declining incomes of both synthetic and real ice rinks.

The old saying that ‘families who play together, stay together’ was more than proven by the large number of owners and operators of bowling alleys, FECs, holiday parks, piers, visitor attractions and zoos who experienced ‘funderstorms’ of visitors that chose to ‘stay and play’ indoors every time it rained during the wet summers of 2012 and 2013, ensuring their income streams remained high throughout.

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2014 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

manufacturers CONCEPT GAMES

Concept Games’ Genie technology is helping make seaside classics even more popular.

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Concept has just the ticket and more

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eeds-based Concept Games has a wide array of products to bring great novelties up to redemption at the fraction of the price of new machines.

Using its Genie technology, pushers, cranes and a host of other cash payout machines can now pay full or partial bonus tickets saving a great deal, whilst making many seaside classics even more popular.

Machines such as Pac-Man Ball, D o n k e y D e r b y , London Bus, Derbys, Magic 7s, pushers, three-player fruits and Skillball Bingos can all be converted to tickets simply and effectively.

C o n c e p t ’s David Garforth said: “Once again, our greening philosophy has paid dividends, allowing some great existing machines to join the array of machines currently paying redemption tickets the system simply replaces hoppers entirely, or counts coins in and gives bonus or mercy tickets to the player.

The company’s new Speeding Ticket conversion also adds a new additional game to most popular flatbed and circular pushers, by accessing levels of play via coin sensors and giving bonus feature race game paying great ticket bonuses.

Concept also has a great range of 10p and 20p gaming machines, such as the ever popular Golden Winner and Silver and Gold, together with its new range of £100 jackpot Category C machines Random Club 100,Bullion Club 100 and Jackpot 7s, which are very successful in AGC areas in seaside arcades.

CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

novelty & pushers WHITTAKER BROTHERS

Whittakers’ extensive range of quality amusement equipment is helping coastal operators keep the fun flowing all year round.

Keep the fun flowing!

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hittaker Brothers’ six- and eight-player pushers continue to be popular, attractive centrepieces for any arcade. For any redemption arcade the range of sixplayer cash/ticket bonus models are unbeatable sources of entertainment.

“Repeat business from customers confirm our belief that they are some of the highest revenue earners in the redemption arcade,” said the company’s John Whittaker. “Each coin inserted spins an LED bonus feature.When the feature stops on a winning bonus a 12-ticket bonus is paid out to the player at eye level, in addition to any coins falling from the edge of the playfield.”

Hinged ticket panels allow easy loading of tickets and the machines include coin insertion sounds and background electronic music.

The six-player models are available in three different artwork versions All the Fun of the Fair, Big Top Circus and Surfer’s Paradise. These models are also available as cash only versions.

Whittaker added:“We can also supply the eight-player Camptown Races model in cash only or cash and ticket bonus versions. With smaller decks and a small footprint this model can be used in the smallest arcade where a high performing centrepiece is required.”

In addition,Roll‘n’Win single player redemption games are available in two versions with either Skittles or Greedy Gobs targets.

Tickets are dispensed under the top sign in front of the player for added attraction.

Three-seater carousels, including the new Coffee Cup carousel, continue to be popular and operate successfully on £1 coin play.Whittakers also carry an extensive range of used and nearly new arcade machines, which carry full warranty and can be purchased with confidence

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2367supp-p26-34-prods&services_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:06 Page 7

2014 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

plush & prizes Variety prized by Bandai Namco NAMCO AMUSEMENT PRIZE Bandai Namco Amusement Prize Europe has the winning selection of prizes for the seaside sector this season.

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he market-leading NAM-GEAR range of electronics is now available in a dazzling white colour. Since its launch at EAG, the first consignment of the 7 Plus Tablet, which is the same size as the iPad Mini, sold out completely and production capacity has had to be increased to meet demand. Now the standard 7 inch version from NAM-GEAR is also reworked In white and features an industry-leading Dual Core processor.This too is flying off the shelves.

“We were the pioneers in the sector of electronic prizes and our new range pushes the envelope again,” says James Anderson, general manager.

The Bandai Namco range of confectionary has expanded with the addition of Spider-Man licensed candy and more Hello Kitty products.

Another new additional this season is a range of Tango and Vimto fizzy lollies. Pocket money confectionary, which is a hit for low value redemption prizes is also proving to be successful.

Plush is hugely important for the seaside sector and the collection from Bandai Namco is top retail quality to make the most positive impression on players. New this season is a PacMan and the Ghostly Adventures range, which is based on the hit TV show, launched this year in over 40 countries.The show is backed up with a huge marketing campaign, including the launch of consumer games titles and a global Burger King promotion. In addition, Bandai Namco has launched a range of branded redemption titles featuring the character, as well as a themed Pac-Man Zone location concept.

Classic Pac-Man continues to be incredibly popular with players and we are constantly expanding the range to include electronic prizes,as well as mugs,key chains and recently a Bluetooth speaker.

Other hit plush titles include Shaun the Sheep – this summer the plush characters appear in the form of two super heroes (complete with Y-fronts and capes), two pirate characters and wearing two different T shirts emblazoned with the phrases;“Keep Cool and Flock On” and “Keep Cool and Count Sheep”.

Publicity for this licence will be ramping up considerably in anticipation for a film from Aardman Animations, which will be released at Easter time next year.

“Shaun the Sheep is a favourite with customers of all ages,” adds James.“The new range is cute and fun and we have high expectations.

Shaun is already huge as you can see from the 3.3m likes his character has on Facebook. We expect his popularity to rise still further over the next 12 months due to Shaun getting his own movie next year and so the brand will receive a lot of publicity over the upcoming months.”

CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

WHITEHOUSE LEISURE

Whitehouse Leisure continues to lead the way in the crane and redemption merchandise sector.

Bringing the best brands to the coast

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he success story of 2013, Despicable Me 2 Minions, has continued to surpass all records with the addition of many new and exciting designs from Whitehouse Leisure in 2014, including Costume and Purple Minions as well as other popular characters from the film: Gru, Margot, Edith, Agnes and Fluffy the Unicorn.

This year also sees the introduction of a DM2 redemption prize range with mugs, breakfast sets, clocks, keyrings, stationery sets and backpacks all proving popular.

The Disney range continues to go from strength to strength with Doc McStuffins being the major performer along with Winnie the Pooh Dino Suit, Monsters University, Henry Hugglemonster and Winnie the Pooh and Mickey and Minnie All-in-Ones. Again Whitehouse also offer a wide range of redemption prizes to supplement its Disney crane range, which now includes an exclusive collection of resin collectible figurines of its most popular characters perfect for pusher beds.

The resin figurine range has expanded to include other licences such as Carebears, Barney, Fireman Sam and Thomas the Tank Engine as well as many other innovative generic designs in its new ‘Rezin’ collection.

The 2014 World Cup in Brazil is fast approaching and Whitehouse has a range of product to mark the occasion, including footballs, inflatables, flags, moneyboxes and keyrings.

Whitehouse licensed plush range is unrivalled in the industry and includes many new popular brands such as Ted, Angry Birds, Family Guy, Mr Potatohead, Little Mates and Henry and Hetty to name but a few; all of which have proved be extremely popular. There is also plush to coincide with the two major summer movies of 2014 How to Train Your Dragon 2 and Transformers both set for release in July.

2367supp-p26-34-prods&services_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:57 Page 8

2014 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

service & spares PMS

Popular animated show Adventure Time has been captivating audiences young and old, with PMS now launching a range of licensed prizes based on the cartoon just in time for the summer seaside rush.

PMS taking Adventure Time to the coast

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MS International has announced the launch of Cartoon Network’s worldwide animated sensation Adventure Time. PMS secured the EMEA deal earlier this year with Turner CN Enterprises.The storyline takes place in the future, post apocalyptic, magical land of Ooo where main characters Finn the 12 year old boy and Jake, his trusty canine companion with magical powers, embark on many heroic adventures.

John Costi-Mouyia explains, “The Pendleton Ward creation has become a huge hit in the US since it’s first airing in April 2010, with around 2-3 million children viewing each of the 11 minute episodes every week. Five series later, numbering 155 episodes, and series six just about to air in April 2014, we have seen a monumental growth in the phenomenon that is Adventure Time.The show is becoming ever more popular around many parts of the world including in particular the UK, Spain, France, Russia and the Middle East.”

PMS will be rolling out a comprehensive collection of Finn and Jake plush, gift and inflatables, accompanied by all of the supporting characters like the Ice King, Princess Bubblegum and Marceline the Vampire Queen.The first phase will comprise of a great range of soft toy prizes available in July ready for the main part of the season, with gift, novelty and inflatable items following on ready for the beginning of 2015. PMS launched Adventure Time at the recent DEAL show in Dubai amidst great anticipation and the company expect the property to do well over the coming years.

Costi-Mouyia, went on to say, “this is a refreshing, witty and very humorous show

with solid positive messages about friendship, reliability and heroism told in a contemporary and edgy way. Children, teenagers and adults alike are all enjoying the Adventures of Jake and Finn and we believe this story will play well in the Amusement and Family Entertainment Centres.”

Suzo-Happ making it easier to operate

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SUZO-HAPP Suzo-Happ’s ongoing relationship with the seaside sector continues to bear fruit for both the industry and the international supplier.

uzo-Happ has been supplying parts and accessories to the gaming & amusement industries since 1955 and although the Seaside Amusement sector has seen many changes throughout the years has remained very much a key sector for SuzoHapp Group.

Suzo-Happ prides itself on stocking a vast array of different products to serve different markets and the Amusement Arcade sector is certainly no exception to this. In addition to the range of general consumables such as lamps and cleaning materials, the company also holds a wide range of dedicated spares for most of the video games which are found in the arcades.

Space is always at a premium inside Amusement Arcades and Suzo-Happ’s large storage and distribution capabilities enable it to hold stock and make it available on a next day delivery basis for over 10,000 different product lines. This ensures that customers can order their large volume products such as coin cups and redemption tickets on a ‘just in time’ basis, ensuring that they don’t tie up their space or capital by holding vast stocks themselves.This is part of the added value that Suzo-Happ offers to all of its customers.

The company also stocks a range of accessories for arcades such as chairs, coin cups (which can be personalised), redemption tickets, LED lighting,coin/note counting equipment and of course change machines, coin recyclers and toppers.

Over the last few years, Suzo-Happ’s portfolio of amusement products has grown significantly and the company is constantly speaking with its customers and industry organisations to ensure that it is completely up to speed with the latest trends, legislations and technologies. This enables the company to source and provide more and more different products to help its customers not only keep their machines up and running but also its products help to enhance customers’ offer to the public.

LED lighting continues to be a very popular product range as not only can the arcades add a touch of sparkle to their machines and machine areas, but they also offer cost saving benefits too as they generate less heat than traditional lighting and use far less energy to run them.

Suzo-Happ also offers our Fast Track Repair Service to amusement arcades whereby we can repair video game boards, power supplies, coin and note acceptors and LCD/CRT monitors to a high standard within a few days and at very competitive pricing.

CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

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2367supp-p26-34-prods&services_Coinslot NEW 06/05/2014 17:09 Page 9

2014 PRODUCTS & SERVICES

systems

table games

The Won crane enhancement by Lotelle

Illuminated attractions from SAM Leisure

LOTELLE Lotelle’s crane processor, The Won, promises to boost the cashbox by finely calibrating a crane’s win rate to keep customers entertainment and operators in profit.

SAM LEISURE

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ustomers new to ustomers new to the The Won processor often ask;“Is it really worth installing on my old cranes?”Sometimes these older machines have virtually no value and are effectively worthless.

Although many of them continue to operate without issue, they just don’t provide the gameplay of a newer piece of equipment.

However, those operators who have updated these older cranes report an increase in revenue. They also enjoy easier operation, relieved of the burden of

adjusting grab strength, and increased reliability, thanks to the lack of adjusting or fiddling with new hardware.The customer experience also receives a boost and those venues using The Won have seen a drop in customer complains as a result.

“The stake and prize level increase that the Gambling Act changed has boosted crane machine revenue and has attracted more customers,” said Lotelle sales manager Michelle Andrews. “Amusement

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CoinslotReview MAY 9 - MAY 15, 2014

arcade’s ability to vend higher value prizes can really increase their appeal and encourage customers to pay more per play. With higher value prizes, it is now more important than ever that prize payout is accurately controlled, to avoid excessive and expensive payouts by badly adjusted cranes.”

A summer full of holidaymakers will mean an increase in the amount of plush being restocked or changed, with some cranes being attended too more than once a day.

With the pressures of busy hot summer’s days, the last thing you want to be doing is worrying about the payout of your cranes or having to adjust the cranes with a different line of heavier or bulkier toys.

Using sophisticated computer control,TheWon controls the payout of the crane in the same manner as a fruit machine, simply by setting the optimal number of plays per toy. As the crane is played,the grab strength will be constantly adjusted to ensure that the crane maintains its payout target. Not only does this provide the confidence to place any toy in the crane without the need to adjust any settings, it also reduces time spent configuring the machine. Operators can also rest assured that in-experienced staff will be confident to load toys into the crane without prompting a disastrous payout.

SAM Leisure places high value on customer attraction, drawing players in to quality machines that will turn a profit for years to come.

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t’s been a lean time of late but we are at last seeing the green shoots of recovery. It has become even more important, therefore, to stand out from the crowd and encourage punters to spend their hard earned cash in your establishment. SAM tables provide all opportunities to attract attention, offer value and deliver great fun.

What’s often overlooked though is that SAM also maintains and support its tables to ensure they keep on performing at peak, maximising income and minimising costs.

The new Flame air hockey and football tables take attract mode to a whole new level with internal illumination. The Yukon Flame is perfect for arcades and venues with open frontage or patio areas. Yukon Flame is an all weather machine, able to withstand the rigours of the seafront, but it also glows in the dark. Promenaders can’t miss it and as we all know, air hockey’s universal appeal means it’s not just the kids that will want to stop and take on the challenge.

Inside, out of the sun (or rain) the Tecno Flame football table also wows the customer. The beautiful solid oak cabinet is built like the proverbial brick outhouse, but looks a million dollars. Gold and silver players flash and sparkle on a playfield that glows and changes colour by remote control.

Perfect for darker recesses and bar areas. Classy but robust, serious kit that delivers great fun.

Also in the bowling sector, pool shouldn’t be forgotten. Whether glow in the dark Cosmic tables or standard SAM Magnos, its American pool that cuts the mustard in family entertainment. The bigger pockets, chunkier cues and faster game levels the playing field and ensures everyone can delight in the satisfying thud of the pot and will want to play again.

Great designs, quality build and the highest customer appeal make SAM tables first choice for bowls, FECs and children’s centres across the country. The longevity of SAM tables can also be ensured by using genuine SAM spares and accessories, commonly available on next day delivery. SAM will also advise on maintenance, offer engineer service and professional reclothing by factory trained fitters nationwide. We know that a SAM table is not just for Christmas and are still supporting tables in excess of 15 years old that are still earning money.

Whether your market is low stake high volume gaming, remote, land-based casinos, bingo, betting or amusements there’s only one publishing house that’s really connected.

The publishing division of GB Media is responsible for the award winning titles International Casino Review, Betting Business interactive and Coinslot, as well as the official ICE catalogue.

For a unique window on the world of gaming, simply contact us on +44 (0) 1204 396 397 or email us at jsullivan@gbmedia.eu.

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