Friday saw a visit to Clacton Pier from local MP Nigel Farage, serving as an opportunity for co-owners Billy and Elliot Ball to highlight the challenges faced by attractions operators in the current economic climate. 

The brothers were joined in their hosting of the MP by representatives from Bacta,who had issued the invite to discuss the future regulation of the industry. 

The visit to the pier lasted for approximately one hour, with the Reform party leader – and President elect Donald Trump-bestie -being shown all round the site and briefed on ongoing investment into the attraction,as well as its impact on providing local jobs and sustaining tourist flow to the area. 

Billy Ball said it was a worthwhile meeting which went very well.

“It is important for us to be in touch with our new MP and let him know exactly the factors which impact our business and challenge us going forwards,”he noted. “Whether it is a rise in business rates or increased employers’ costs,these will all hit us hard and we need that message to betaken back to Westminster.”

Ball went on to say that he used his conversation with Farage to underline the manner in which tax and regulation “affects all seaside towns and those operating in them,” making special effort to highlight the factors which “will stifle the future improvements we want to make.”

Chief amongst these roadblocks, the business-owners explained, was the government’s failure to implement the Gambling Review White Paper reforms, which had previously enjoyed cross party support but were shelved for safe-keeping in May this year when the snap election was called. 

Bacta has stated that the key changes outlined in the paper are “vital to the viability of the sector.”

Meanwhile, Ball listed the long-awaited review of stakes and prizes, as well as the issue of gambling business de-banking, as other pressing matters discussed during the parliamentarian’s visit. 

The latter will certainly resonate with Nigel Farage who was unceremoniously debanked by Coutts and publicly outed as a figure whose bank did not like his principles. 

If anyone knows how many gambling businesses feel after being pushed out by their banks on a matter of principle, it’s Clacton’s MP whose voice has a reach way beyond his parliamentary colleagues. 

This Farage affair could be fun indeed; and the Reform leader was handed the industry’s case on a plate by the Ball brothers.

“Some banks won’t deal with gambling businesses and those that do restrict the amount of cash which can be banked,” they remarked. “But it is the Government that says only cash can be taken, rather than using cards for gaming machines, and that seriously prejudices us as an industry.”

Closing the meeting, Ball expressed his thanks to Bacta for inviting Farage to the Pier.

“He clearly took on board we are in the serious business of fun,” he said. “We look forward to working further with him in the future.”