Ian Eason, managing director of UK distributor and manufacturer Instance Automatics, has stated that some independent arcades will not be able to operate viably should the government be successful in reclassifying amusement crane machines to the Category D band, which would limit the price of play to 10p per game.
"The crane machine and the pusher are the lifeblood of the coastal amusement arcade and these have been entertainment for generations of families. Without this type of equipment, I am sure that some of the family-owned and run FECs will not be able to operate viably," Eason said.
“This, in turn, will result in more English amusement-related companies going out of business and many thousands of jobs being lost, costing the taxman millions of pounds in lost taxes. More money will leave the country via foreign operators and manufacturers replacing the good old English companies."
It is thought that cranes will be tied to the Category D band as of September 1, when the new UK Gambling Act comes into place. “The problem is that no one seems to know what is going to happen,” said Eason. “I have brought the subject out into the open in the hope that BACTA will stand up and clarify the situation."
