Racing: Bookies protest over pitch fees

Bookmakers at Kelso yesterday showed almost 100 per cent solidarity in their opposition to the increase from £11 to £21 in the pitch administration fees imposed by the National Joint Pitch Council but decided against strike action.

Rumours that they would refuse to bet on the first race proved unfounded and the protest took the form of the bookmakers paying the extra £10 on this occasion to the East Of Scotland Bookmakers Association.

All 33 Tattersalls bookmakers and three of the four betting on the rails supported the action, but Bert Logan, chairman of the East of Scotland Bookmakers Association was quick to point out: "We will be paying this money to the NJPC this time and there is no intention to strike. What we have done today was to assess the strength of the support, we need convincing that the money will be well spent – in theory we could have been found in breach of the pitch rules for not paying the extra £10 today and suspended from betting at the next meeting but the betting ring manager has said that will not happen. At the end of the day we would like the pitch administration fees to be paid to the racecourses and for them to run things – after all they are providing the places where we work."

NJPC betting ring Manager Haig Jenkinson said: "Bert Logan has assured us that the £360 will be paid in the next 48 hours and there was no possibility of them being prevented from betting. I would expect that the full £21 will now be paid between now and the Scottish National meeting."

* There is no racing in Britain today due to the funeral of the Queen Mother. Racing resumes tomorrow at Beverley, Newmarket and Cheltenham.