Further supplementary memorandum submitted
by the Federation of Racecourse Bookmakers (FRB)
Letter from the Racecourse Association
to Robin Grossmith—27 November 2007
I refer to our telephone conversation and it
was good to talk to you again. As we agreed, we both look forward
to seeing the Select Committee's Report. In the meantime we would
like to continue to move things forward. I hope I explained again
the racecourse position which is, of course, detailed in our submission
to the Select Committee. Put simply, list positions will have
no value in the future. Racecourses cannot in any way accept the
arguments about security of tenure, asset values and indeed suggestions
of compensation; we are very much focused on what will happen
leading up to and in 2012. In that respect we have developed a
framework which we have sent to the Minister on 6 November 2007.
I am pleased to enclose a copy of that framework. It is my belief
that racecourses will wish to honour the relationship and loyalty
of bookmakers and based on the introduction of market-based pricing
from 2012, should be able to give individual bookmakers the opportunity
to continue to trade their businesses. This approach has been
endorsed by the RCA Board.
However, implementation of any arrangements
will and must be left to individual racecourses and groups. If
you would like to discuss this suggested framework we will be
pleased to do so.
It is very important that we bring this matter
to a close and that individual bookmakers and racecourses can
get on with establishing sensible future commercial arrangements
that are to the benefit of all parties. If this is not possible
then it will inevitably lead to a more fundamental review by the
RCA of on-course betting to ensure that we can continue to deliver
services to our customers.
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