Casino Sept 08 P22-26 8/26/08 9:23 am Page 24
PETER BROOKS INTERVIEW
the rest, because realistically if you want to compete Circus which was brand new, that was June, in
as a restaurant you’ve got to be able to do that. December we opened the new Liverpool Circus,
There are lots and lots of good restaurants – how are that was an additional club, so those are three
we going to persuade them to come to a casino to things that we’ve done, and we’ve proceeded with
have their dinner? major refurbs in Birmingham Maxims, and
Southend. Those are the headline things, so
CI: But if you look at a casino like the Opera there’s been some expansion there, but we’re
House in Scarborough, they’ve pitched the place operating now in a very tough market, when you
as a venue for adults to go out – so they’re kind of add that to the experimental element of finding
looking at the lack of children, for example, as a the right way forward as you look at these new
benefit. There’s potentially a market there… markets, it’s work in progress.
PB: You’re putting your finger on what is the core Our Managing Director was over recently, we’re
issue, you’ve got to pitch the offer for the market and looking at transferring our site in Southport.
what gamers are actually wanting, very much varies. I We’ve got a site there which is in an old cinema,
think that most casino operators, but I’ll only talk it’s quite a senior operation and we’ve got no lift,
about us, we’re still feeling our way for what’s the it’s upstairs, so we need to make a move, and we’ll
right offer and it’s a challenge really. be moving to a new development on the
Waterfront. We’ve got three or four other plans in
Above: Maxims.
CI: If you had a Maxims somewhere and it’s not the offering so this is definitely a long-term game
Below right:
working, could you re-open and re-position that for us.
Crockfords as a Circus, for example?
restaurant
PB: Probably not at the moment, my guess is that CI: The other big issue for the industry is the
over time we will migrate to a single brand, but one of change in tax laws; is there much dialogue with
the things about the British casino industry Is, it the government about that? It was such a big
hasn’t been heavily invested in over a long period of change, and it seemed something of a knee-jerk.
time so the high street leisure offering has raised its PB: The answer to your question is no, I’m very
game beyond belief. doubtful that the Government understood what
There will be lots of experimenting for every they were doing, but we all know that the Treasury’s
operator. I think people are genuinely looking for the coffers are running empty and it’s hard for me to
right way forward, there’s no doubt there is a future believe that the first charity call they’ve got to
but I think the industry is searching for that right make is casinos, so we will have to get on and deal
way forward. with it. It’s very unwelcome. What I think was
genuinely a surprise to people, was that the effect
CI: Has there been any significant growth or of what they did is to increase our costs overnight
reductions to the Stanley group since taking it by more than 20 per cent and you can’t run a
over? business like that. On the one hand they’ve been
PB: Yes there has been some growth, but I should trumpeting new casinos and regeneration, and on
be clear in saying that is basically about programmes the other hand they killed that stone dead. What
that we inherited and have decided to pursue. was surprising to me, and I went to both the party
We have proceeded with the transfer of a small conferences, was that the MPs for those
club in Edinburgh called the Berkley to the new constituencies which were in line to get a new
Edinburgh Circus. We opened the new Nottingham casino, had simply failed to make any connection
24 SEPTEMBER 2008
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