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That's the third big bookies I've heard / seen closed in the wider Streatham area in the last 6 months (The other two on Streatham High Road last year)
Tulse Hill news, chitter chatter and gossip
- Thread starter Nanker Phelge
- Start date
That's the third big bookies I've heard / seen closed in the wider Streatham area in the last 6 months (The other two on Streatham High Road last year)
gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
With a "Sold" sign above it...
T & P
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Oh I’m sure it’ll continue to be a retail unit, but I am hoping it’ll not be a betting shop.
The new legislation on high stake fruit machines has caused havoc among bookies and the closure of many branches since April last year. I would imagine this is why this one’s a goner too.
I’m glad to see it, to be honest. Those machines make zombies out of vulnerable people.
I enjoy the odd quid on the football or a dog race, if I’ve got a bit of time to kill. But the relationship between those machines and a flutter is like the relationship between Special Brew and a glass of wine on a Friday evening.
While some bookies staff will have lost their jobs, the number of people whose lives aren’t ruined by these machines makes it worthwhile.
gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
I think one bookie in such a small collection of shops is enough.
oldandjaded
Well-Known Member
How many from this board have gone into a bookies and placed a bet?
At my age I've never gone to a bookmaker nor gambled (bar the odd sweepstake at work). Slot machines were 10p in the pub (I haven't done pubs in years either) and if you timed it right getting your money back was easy.
At my age I've never gone to a bookmaker nor gambled (bar the odd sweepstake at work). Slot machines were 10p in the pub (I haven't done pubs in years either) and if you timed it right getting your money back was easy.
When I worked in Dublin, I was maybe 25, we would always take our full hour for lunch. If it wasn’t raining, we’d go for a walk. If it was raining we’d go to the bookies and stick on €1 or €2 on dog racing.
Nowadays if I were in town to meet someone and was a bit early, I’d go to the bookies and stick a quid on a dog. I don’t care if I lose it, I expect to. I take my time choosing the dog, maybe even do a tricast.
Also, when Northern Ireland are playing international football, or if there is a big boxing match, Carl Frampton or Anthony Joshua, I would stick on a quid on the outcome. Again, not to get rich but for the joy of doing the bet itself. Any money won, which happens very rarely, is a bonus.
editor
hiraethified
Once when I was asked to place a bet for some office thing. I've retained zero interest in gambling all my life, past a minor bit of desperate stupidity on fruit machines when I was about 18.
urbanspaceman
Well-Known Member
As a teenager, I worked as a board boy (writing the odds on a blackboard) in a bookies (L Stanley) in Doncaster. I watched the same tired, broken, old and old-before-their-time men shuffle in day after day, losing and losing and losing. That sad experience pretty much inoculated me against betting for ever. I cannot see any redeeming qualities or properties in betting shops - if the whole industry ceased to exist overnight, there would not be any downside.
I think that that is a bit harsh. It's a form of entertainment and, similar to the sale of alcohol, most people don't ruin their lives with it, but many do. It needs proper regulation, and severely restricting those hyper addictive machines is a great start.
Don't forget that if the industry were to cease to exist, illegal bookies would spring up in their place. At least bookies will only take all your money off you until you have no more. Illegal bookies will get you in debt and break your fingers, threaten your family and all the horrors that go alongside it.
urbanspaceman
Well-Known Member
My point was a hypothetical. But as a form of entertainment, betting sucks because it consists of repeatedly handing over money to a third party, and (probabilistically smoothed) getting less back in return. With alcohol, they actually give you drinks in return for your money.
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It's an intangible product. A form of entertainment. The same as a gig or going to the cinema. Sitting in a warm bookie's office, watching their tellies, having someone there to take your bet, there often seems to be an element of camaraderie amongst the gamblers. It's all a service.
I agree that it is a grubby industry, which makes lots of money off the most vulnerable. But it isn't the only one which does, and anyone I know who likes a bet leads a decent lifestyle otherwise.
It is possible to get involved and enjoy it without becoming a victim. Every penny I've ever gambled, I have been happy to lose.
I took the kids to the Streatham Odeon the other evening to watch Sonic the Hedgehog. It was almost £40 for the three of us to get in. I felt much more wounded at that than losing £2 on the dogs.
gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
I've placed bets as a child at the races for my parents (in Ireland in the 70s when they wouldn't be bothered about that). Also at bookies in the UK for races - again for my parents. Gambling cost my family very dear so I have no interest in betting now. The occasional lottery ticket maybe.
Nanker Phelge
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
As an addict (not gambling) currently in recovery I can safely say having to walk past the numerous palaces of addiction along a short stretch of road can be really distressing on a bad day.
I once walked down from the Fire Station on Knights Hill to The Tulse Hill Hotel and there were 29 places open at 9.30pm in the evening that I could have got hold of booze (and that's not including places I would have had to order food alongside it)
It's a fucking gauntlet some days....
I once walked down from the Fire Station on Knights Hill to The Tulse Hill Hotel and there were 29 places open at 9.30pm in the evening that I could have got hold of booze (and that's not including places I would have had to order food alongside it)
It's a fucking gauntlet some days....
Adverts can’t be much fun either. Guinness brings the comforting glow of Christmas. Bacardi makes you a party animal etc. Very clever people with very big budgets pushing something which can destroy you. Tag on a “drink responsibly” line in the corner and it’s all happy again.
I’ve got a big problem with gambling advertising as well. Watch a football match and every shirt is likely to have a gambling company on it, every ad break has the one company doing an advert in and out as well as ads during the break itself. How could a problem gambler ever watch football again? And that’s before Sharon Osborne starts doing ads for online bingo in normal programming.
Nanker Phelge
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
oldandjaded
Well-Known Member
Thank you for the incite. I had the impression that you needed to put a wad of cash on. I am glad I haven't got into this, as someone with an addictive personality I know that this would not have ended well for me. (I hate to think what my mum and dad would have done to me had I started. )
gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
Saw a load of builders in the pretend cop shop the other day - seem to be clearing it out or doing it up or something.
I’m not sure what the purpose of that place is, but I’ve thought it has been abandoned for some time.
gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
Yes it has - but it looks like something might be happening with it now.
Do you know what it was ever for though? I think there was a sign telling members of the public not to use it and I never saw police in there.
I think there’s one the same on Coldharbour Lane, a five minute walk from the proper Brixton Police station.
Nanker Phelge
Leave the gun. Take the cannoli.
There was cops in there at least once. They rescued my son's muggers from his mother.
editor
hiraethified
That one has gone.
oldandjaded
Well-Known Member
That lasted well.
nick
Pleomorphic Adenomas R us
There's a roll of kitchen paper on the top shelf of the halal place next to G7 / tinting shop if you're quick.
You'll need to borrow their ladder to reach it.
There were 2 but I got the other as I was on strict instruction to look for kitchen roll on my foraging trip
You'll need to borrow their ladder to reach it.
There were 2 but I got the other as I was on strict instruction to look for kitchen roll on my foraging trip
I’m not a scientist or doctor, but my immediate thoughts are that this is great for them to do.
People are going to go mad at home otherwise, bar staff will lose their jobs.
I might call in.
gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
There was cops in there once - I got told off by one on his way out for cycling on the pavement. THE ONE TIME!!
gaijingirl
Well-Known Member
They're doing a storming trade. We queued there last night for quite a while. I'm chuffed for them because they've always been nice to me and my kids. Occasionally I send the kids to the shops and I'll always tell them to go there rather than the Co Op because they look out for them. As a result my eldest has quite a severe paratha habit.
