A leading distributor from the 1980s, Malcolm "Dollar" Beer has died in a nursing home in Penarth, UK, this morning, aged 83.
Malcolm came into the industry when he joined Paul McCarthy’s Terarose AWP manufacturing company in South Wales in the early 1980s. He went on to form his own distribution company, MDB Sales and then MDM Leisure in 1986. At the height of his success, he distributed both JPM and AFD machines.
David Snook, of InterGame, who knew Malcolm well, commented: “He was a great character in the industry during the days when it abounded with great characters. Sadly Malcolm had been in a nursing home for several years, but it is right that such a leading personality from the ‘old days’ should be remembered fondly by those who were around then.”
In another tribute, Steve Perkins of Instance Automatics said: "So sad to hear of the death of Malcolm. I bought hundreds of rebuild kits and machines from him and Jeff Mathias over the years. We stood on stands together at so many trade shows then had the odd beer together with Jan, Tony, Paul and later Craig, his son, in various bars and hotels around the venues.
"He was always the same: witty, knowledgeable and debonair - he was the ultimate professional. He will never be forgotten by those who dealt with and knew him. My heartfelt condolensces go to Jan and Craig and the rest of his family."
Malcolm leaves a wife, Janet, sons Craig (who is in the industry with iPlay Ltd, a developer of third party content for Category C machines), brother Marc and sister Andrea.
Image upper: Malcolm Beer with his wife, Janet.
Image lower: Malcolm as depicted in a series of industry-related caricatures, published in Coin Slot in the 1980s.
