Fruit Machine Chat

Like most people on this forum I've been in a hell of a lot of pubs, to many in fact, but I have never seen a notice quite like this:

WE HAVE A ZERO TOLERANCE POLICY REGARDING THE MIS-USE OF FRUIT MACHINES. ANYONE SUSPECTED OF PLAYING THESE MACHINES PROFESSIONALLY OR ACTING SUSPICIOUSLY WHILE USING THE MACHINES WILL BE ASKED TO LEAVE THE BAR. THE MACHINES WILL BE TURNED OFF AND OTHER BARS ON THE TOWN CENTRE RADIO WILL BE CONTACTED WITH YOUR DISCRIPTION.

THE MANAGEMENT WILL NOT DISCUSS THIS WITH YOU.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

Please. Don't make me laugh, if some one came over and turned the machine off, or worse still, turned if off from behind the bar whilst I was playing, I WOULD be asking questions, I WOULD be turning the machine back on and I WILL get my money back one way or another.

Who the hell do these little Hitlers think they are?

What sort of pub is this? eg a chain pub or independent?

If they turn it off what are you going do about it? It is probably better just to give such places a miss.

I have previously seen signs on quizzers that have said "This machine is for REGULAR customers only"

This is a terrible thing to say to any customer, its simple vote with your feet and take your business elsewhere!!

I'm surprised pubs can afford to risk losing business with signs like that nowadays.

Or the good old "Mobile Phones must not be used on or near the fruit machine. Anyone found doing so will be asked to leave" Clive & Jan.

It was the Varsity in Bolton, and I won't be going back in a hurry as they only had a Bucks Bunny and CYBTB.

I wouldn't mind but the Varsity in Manchester is a pretty decent establishment with a totally different attitude. Saying that, I have only been in there a couple of times.

VARSITY!
now that has shocked me, u do expect it
occasionally in 'clive & jans' local, but a
city centre chain!!!!!
FUCK!!!

I bet the Manager is an addict or ex-pro. Wants to bump up his wages.

Well it won't be for no reason.

They have probably been battered by various thieves and scammers.

Or they may read this forum

These signs are quite amusing.. as they are quite illegal. Take a dictation recorder with you. If they try it on, the company owning the pub is in for paying out some serious compo. Even better, complain to trading standards. They take a dim view of this sort of racketeering.

they aren't illegal at all.

You're in the pub as guests of the management. Your presence there is strictly at their discression and they can ask ANYONE to leave without giving a reason. "Public" house is misleading. It's private property.

Since so many pubs have been recently tooled (in my area anyway) I can only see that this will become more & more common.

I dont think trading standards or the gaming commision would agree that these signs are OK.

Neither of them will support an attitude held by the management of the premises, that only the people the bar choose are allowed to play them.

It used to be that barstaff weren't allowed to play them either as they had an advantage because they could watch people fill em up all day. This is practically the same.

If anyone near there is an ethnic minority go and try and get them to bar you then kick up a stink about discrimination - the sign and policy will be quickly removed. (of course you shouldn't have to be part of a minority to make them listen, but it works better in this fucked up country)

bar staff not being allowed to play them is because very often (not always) a fruit machine playing barman is a till skimming barman.

Trading standards and the gaming board will have no interest in this sign.

Last night I found out the policy/sign has been on the wall for well over 18 months. I don't know the reasons for it being there (we could all make educated guesses) but I get the impression it was there before noteys(?) became standard.

It would be interesting if a player from Bolton frequents the pub or knows people who work there. I went in a few pubs yesterday and they were all steadily busy, not exactly dead considering it was a Monday, Varsity had 4 customers.